Supernatural Sematary
by 506 J
Summary: Dean and Sam enter the world of Stephen King's Pet Sematary
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Stephen King and Warner brothers are the only geniuses here. I only hope that my misadventures using their characters and themes do not offend them. I am merely a poor student, who will remain poor.

Summery: Dean and Sam encounter Steve Masterton (from Stpehen King's Pet Sematary) who perks the hunter's curiosity in what may be lurking in Ludlow Main.

St. Louis 2006 

It was raining heavily as the Chevy came to a stop across the street from a lavish looking apartment tower, the manicured shrubbery giving away its upper-class statues. The modern style of floating glass would have been quite beautiful if it were a cloudless evening with the setting sun bouncing its reddish rays along the glass. But as it was, the dark gloomy weather made the tower look cold and unwelcoming.

"Just the kind of welcome we're use to." Dean muttered under his breath. He put his precious car in park, listening to her idling.

"Huh?" Said Sam, not looking up from his laptop. He was rereading the e-mail sent by their father for the one hundredth time. Dean had made it his desktop picture since Sam kept fussing over it. Text message coordinates were too impersonal now, it seemed. They had upgraded to impersonal e-mails.

_Steve Masterton St.Louis 12 Mapple Rd. #14_

"How are we supposed to approach this guy Dean? I've googled him and came up with medical papers, some awards, but nothing supernatural. I searched this building's records and there's nothing odd there either." Sam asked, letting his frustration show.

"Dad sent us here for a reason. We'll figure it out. Kick some evil ass. As per usual." Dean replied. Dean was doing his best not to sound frustrated also. He had no problem approaching strangers, but to approach a guy with zero background or case info…_So I'll say 'Hello Mr. Masterton, I'm Dean, demon hunter extraordinaire, are you by any chance in need of some supernatural assistance?'_ "He's a doctor, right? Well, we're overzealous pre-med students then, you still have your student i.d?" Dean felt a twinge of guilt as Sam flinched at the mention of his past student life. But they both seemed to recover quickly.

"Yeah, but going to his home? That's not overzealous, Dean. That's stalking."

"It's not stalking the first time, just creepy. You got something better, Sam? Dad meant us to come to Masterton's home, or he wouldn't have bothered with the address."

"Look, I got his phone number too. Our best bet is to call him and arrange some sort of interview, say we're journal..ists…" Sam squeezed his eyes shut as a pain settled in behind his eyes. He could hear Dean calling his name. But his brother's voice sounded distant. _His vision darkened and for a moment there was blackness, consuming blackness, that almost seemed to vibrate. It didn't lighten, but it seemed that his eyes adjusted to that black, and he could see trees, not so much the trees themselves, but their movement from an unfelt wind. He noticed a path between the dancing trees. And it seemed even bleaker than the rest, if that could be possible. And something was approaching from that path. Something that was moving fast. Sam tired to back away, but couldn't. It was a man. A man was running out of the path heading straight for Sam. And when Sam saw the guys face he wanted to scream. To scream for the man, since the man seemed unable to for himself. The man looked petrified. Sam could feel it. It felt like he had had a near miss with doom. Sam braced for the impact that he was sure was about to happen. And just as that man, that horror stricken man, reached him-_ the blazing pain stopped, his vision went from black to his brothers freaked out face, barely an inch apart from his own.

Dean did not like this. Not. One. Fucking. Bit. This wasn't the first time Sam had spaced, and damn if it didn't weird him out. Not that he'd ever say it mind you. '_Man let it be a freak headache'_ "SAM!"

Sam's eyes suddenly seemed to refocus, and he pulled back from Dean's too close face instinctually. Sam pushed his head back against the head rest and started processing what he'd seen.

"Sam! Are you alright? Brain freeze?" Dean asked in a shabby joking tone.

"Brain freeze? Thanks Dean." Sam choked out.

"Well? You gonna share then psychic boy?" Dean droned. At that Sam reached forward, arms out in a mock embrace. His arms were quickly slapped away by Dean, trying to make a mortified face. "Not that kind of shar…"

"Terrorifed…" Sam cut in.

"Huh?"

Sam's attention went straight back to his laptop. The image of Dean's mortified face brought back the details of the terrified man from his 'vision'. A few clicks and he rotated the computer so Dean could see the picture of Steve Masterton he had on file.

"I saw him Dean! Just now. I mean he was younger, I think, much younger. But I'm sure it was Masterton." Sam began describing, as best he could manage, what he had seen, what he had **_felt_**.

_That's grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreat _Dean cheered in his mind, his best impersonation of Tony the Tiger. "Now you can update your ESP resume Sammy, telekinesis, promotions and now pre-cognitive."

"Shut up."

Sam had not been expecting Dean to actually 'shut up'. It was unnerving. Sitting in the car, watching Dean clench and unclench his jaw. Going on minute number 2.

"Dean?"

Clench, unclench, clench…

"Dean?"

Unclench.

"I don't like this Sam."

"What don't you like? Because I'm with you on the physic…"

"I don't like that you just saw this guy! Out of the blue? Dad sends an e-mail. We have no case info. And as we're mulling over how to even start this you get a kick in the pants to push us forward. No I don't like it." Dean practically snapped, cutting off Sam's attempt to start talking about his new found …talents. Dean was so very not ready to get in that rocket ship to the Moon.

"I'm just saying it seems too convenient. We're gonna have to be even more cautious now." Dean grumble. He didn't want to freak out his brother about the possibilities of what caused his 'powers' anymore then Sam already was.

"Your advocating caution? Does that mean you're only going to run in with one gun blazing?" Sam spoke jokingly. Hoping to lighten the mood.

"Bitch." Dean grinned. He turned off his baby, opened the door, and made a run for the buildings canopied entrance, out of the rain. At the entrance Sam held him back, holding the door open for an elderly man to enter before them. Not that Dean would have minded, had it not meant that he was backed up and out in the rain again. The delay was not aiding his attempts to pull out a decent cover story. Something like _'hi, my brother saw you looking freaked out in a vision just now. Any chance you had a run in with something freaky in shady woods awhile back?' _seemed to scream _"Hello my name is CRAZY"_

Not 5 seconds into his thoughts the problem solved itself. The elderly man just barely passing the doors stopped short and reached a suddenly shaking hand over his heart. Dean moved in just in time to catch the senior as his knees gave out. Sam rushed to help support him. And Dean saw the buildings security looking frantically at them over the tall desk. The words came out of Dean's mouth before he even thought of them.

"Is there a doctor in the building?" Dean hollered.

Sam looked up at Dean, _What a messed up way to meet the guy…too messed up_ Sam thought. He had to keep himself from thinking _convenient. _

The security guy nodded absently, ducking back behind the desk. Sam and Dean could hear his frantic voice. "Mr. Masterton, This is security. Mr. Philips is having a heart attack or something…yeah, in the lobby…can you….thanks…. click 911! This security at 12 Mapple, apartment towers…." Several seconds seemed to grind by…

The stair well doors burst open, and a disheveled looking Steve Masterton barreled into the lobby, a black bag with a little red cross tucked under his arms.

Masterton immediately took charge. Much to Dean's relief. Medical emergences weren't his ticket. Sam continued supporting Mr. Philips as Masterton opened his bag of tricks and did whatever it was that he was trained to do.

Several minutes passed, and Mr. Philips seemed to improve…at least from Dean non-medical perspective, and he turned to hold open the doors as paramedics pulled up to the curb.

Dean waited by Sam, who seemed at little disconnected by the events. Hell so was he, it reminded him of his own brush with death, '_Had I looked that bad when I got electrocuted?'_. Steve Masterton talked hurriedly with the paramedics, before they and Mr. Philips left, sirens blazing.

Steve turned to the boys, a smile played on his lips, though it didn't reach his eyes. He went to shake their hands. "You guys did a fine job, thank you for your help. I'm sure Mr. Philips is very grateful." He looked at Sam, his smile softening. "Not something you get to do everyday. You look a little shaken, it's justified. If you're in no rush, I'd be pleased to offer you both a drink. Looks like you could use it too."

Sam winched, holding up a dieing man had left him feeling shaken. He could almost hear Dean scoffing at him. _'We see things die all the time' Dean would argue, trying to diminish the severity. 'But people are different.' I would say, 'they are different'_. Looking over at Dean, and felt bad for those thoughts. Dean had had a heart attack not that long ago himself. He may be healthy now, thanks to a Grim Reaper on a leash…but he did have a heart attack.

"Yeah, sure. Thanks." Sam said, almost tripping over his own thoughts. He felt a _pull_ to say yes. And it didn't feel like it was just because of their Dad's e-mail.

They followed Steve into his second floor apartment, took the elevator – '_why walk up stairs when you could be lazy?'_ Dean said to himself trying to shake away his unpleasant thoughts of his near death experience. And the guilt he carried from that damn Preachers wife using a Reaper to heal him, causing another to die in his place. It wasn't the time for that, it was time for asserting his well used hunter skills… _'its info hunt'n time'_

In the apartment Dean glared inwardly at himself. He could have had a nice cold beer, but instead he chose coffee, he was going to need to be clear and sharp for this one. Sam was rubbing off on him, and not for the betterThe place was pretty nice, the colours where light and fresh. Even the couchs where white. Dean was hard pressed to find a shadow.

"You're an amazing doctor. You handled everything like a pro. I wouldn't mind having you for a neighbor." Sam said.

"Did I? I guess doctors have to be ready for anything. You don't often get advanced notice." Steve said, as he was nursing a beer.

"Have any medical marvel stories?" Dean asked. And for a mere second, heck, less then that, Steves eyes glazed over. But it only lasted a second.

"Not really."

"When I was at Stanford U, I read an article that mentioned you, about the effects of grief on the body, or something like that." Sam, hadn't actually read anything in Stanford about him, but he remember it from his early searches on the doctor that day. It seemed like a decent start.

And boy what a start.

If Steve's eyes had glazed over for a second before, then now they almost seemed to sink into his head. In fact he seemed to shrink in on himself. Dean raised an eye brow at Sam. _'Check mate'_

"Are you okay?" Sam leaned closer, genuinely concerned about what his comment had caused. Steve tried to smile.

"Oh I'm fine. It's been -what- 15years since I wrote on that topic. Kinda let it slip from memory." Steve cleared his throat. "Must have been a boring read. I'm sorry you had to suffer it."

"Not at all, I mean. I could kind of relate to it." Sam said softly. It was true. Grief had done a lot to his family.

Steve stared at the two men, trying to understand how they could have gotten on this topic…this of all topics…then he felt it…a brush. Something had just brushed against him. Against his mind. And lord help him if it wasn't that same feeling, the very same he had felt that day. '_Come on, Steverino' _it said in his mind. Not a memory, but in HIS mind. RIGHT NOW.

Dean and Sam looked alarmed at each other when Steve's eyes seemed to stop seeing them. And his face twisted looking like a fresh painting that was splashed with water, running and distorting.

"Dean what's going on?"

"The hell if I know! Picking up anything…you know _psychic_." Dean wiggled his fingers in front of his eyes. Sam gave him a sour look, but shook his head. Then Steve screamed.

Damn did he scream.

Dean took a firm hold of him, shaking him briskly. "Steve! Steve! Come out of it!"

"Don't hurt him Dean!"

"Steve!"

Steve suddenly stopped. His eyes locked onto Dean's. As the both kneeled in front of each other, Dean's hands still gripping Steve's shoulders.

"Steve? Can you hear me? Why are you screaming?" Sam asked as he knelt beside them.

"You think you hear screaming, but it's only the sound of the loons, down south, in Prospect. The sound carries. It's funny." Steve said in such a stoic tone, it didn't sound like the man at all. Not a man who was just screaming.

His eyes where still lock on Dean.

Dean heard a whisper in his mind '_Hey-ho, let's go'._

Sam eyed his brother, not liking the wave of eeriness that had just descended like a fog. He pushed them apart. It didn't take much strength at all.

"Dean!" Sam barked. Dean blinked, and it was his turn to push back from his little brother's personal space invasion.

"Dude, I hear you. What the hell was that?"

"I'm guessing it's why where here. You okay? You looked spaced."

"Practicing my Sammy impersonation."

"Jerk." Sam said, betrayed a weak smile.

They both turned to Steve, who seemed to be doing a poor job of collecting himself. He suddenly looked older, almost like Mr. Philips. Dean and Sam exchanged looks. And Sam moved closer to Steve, he spoke in his best 'open and understanding' voice, it came in handed when dealing with distraught folks.

"Steve? Steve do you hear me?" Steve looked at Sam, his eyes unfocused, but he nodded. "Where did you hear the screaming -" Sam correcting himself " –the loons? The ones south in Prospect?" Steve shook his head.

"It doesn't matter. It didn't really happen. It was just a drea- a nightmare." Steve straightened his back. "You must think I'm crazy. Sure did just act it."

"We don't think your crazy." '_Pretty close though'_ Dean reassured. "My brother Sam and I know a thing or two about crazy, about things that sound like screaming, too." '_May as well lay it out on the table_.'

"Excuse me?" Steve choked out. '_Why is this happening now_.' He asked himself. And he got an answer. '_I've got things to show them_.'A stoic voice said in his head. He felt the hairs on the back of his head stiffen.

"Steve? Steve. Have you ever seen anything, something that you couldn't explain. I long time ago even." Sam gentle prodded.

"No." pause "No." Steve got the feeling he didn't sound convincing…but then he hadn't…had he. '_Have I? It's just a dream_.'

"Are you sure? Maybe it was a long time ago. In the woods?" Sam asked. He almost fell back as Steve's head shot up. The sound of his neck crack was loud and almost seemed to echo.

"In the woods? No…no it's just a dream." Steve stopped

"Hey, come on Steve. Tell us about your dream. You have nothing to lose. You'll never see us again anyway." Dean asked. '_This is getting down right creepy. Our territory for sure.'_

Steve chewed his lip. _'Share the wealth Steveino_.' _It_ said.

"Ludlow. Ludlow Maine. Almost 22 years now. I was a medical assistant then. My co-worker Louis. He…he was a good man." '_How long has it been since I said his name?'_

"Louis? What happened to him Steve?" Dean pressed.

"Louis Creed was the Doctor for Maine University. They lived in a beautiful house, he his wife Rachel, their son Gage and a daughter Eileen, even a cat. It was on the edge of state woods. –pause- edge of the road, route 15. Large trucks ride it day and night. Uses up a lot of animals…people." Steve grew quiet.

"Louis was hit by a truck?" Sam asked.

"No, no. Gage was. His son. Just a little guy. Louis and Rachel, they felt it bad. And Louis, damn, I think it drove him mad." It seemed to start flowing now…the _need_ to _pass_ it on. "The last time I saw Louis, I think I saw him. It happened the day after the burial, or was it two? His neighbors house was on fire, Jud's house . I came up the road hoping to talk to Louis. And I saw him. He was heading into the woods. There's a path there. Leads to a…a pet cemetery. He was carrying a bloody body wrap in a sheet. I knew it was a body. I knew it was Rachel. And there's something behind it, past this deadfall of twisted branches. Something behind it. It touched me, something awful, huge. But it let go. I ran. In the house, after the fire they found a little boys body. They never identified him, too badly burned. But I know it was Gage. I don't know how. But it was Gage. I never saw them after that. Never tried. Poor Eileen." Steve was barely holding back tears now. "Damn it fell back into memory…but it actually happened…I'm sure now, almost sure now."

'_Damn'_ Was all Dean could think. A sad, low _'damn'._

Sam put a comforting hand on Steves back. And looked away from Dean. '_Didn't want to break the poor man. God Dad, what's going on here._' Sam thought.

"Excuse me a minute boys." Steve mumbled. Lifting himself up and moving into the bathroom, closing the door with a click.

"Well?" Dean said quietly to Sam.

"Well? That's it Dean? The guy just broke down. And the dead and buried boy found in a house fire. Some guy carrying his dead wife into the woods." Sam groaned, he wanted to get out of here fast.

"And something 'huge' in the woods. Maybe that was what he was running from in your vision?"

"Maybe."


	2. Chapter 2

10

Disclaimer: Stephen King and Warner brothers are the only geniuses here. I only hope that my misadventures using their characters and themes do not offend them. I am merely a poor student, who will remain poor.

Ludlow

Dean drove down the turnpike. Not much further now, 30mins and they'd be in Ludlow, the town of the Creed home. It was still the Creed home. Because 13 years after the tragedy of Gage Creeds death and the house fire across the street; Eileen Creed had bought the place. Between her father's ownership, and Eileen's return, there had been only two other owners and they had each left under a year… _'Like the house was waiting for her'_

"Still no answer?" Dean asked Sam. They had been trying to call Eileen Creed for two days now. Steve hadn't known where to find her. But Sam was a pro at tracking down anything or anyone online. Eileen would have been 6 years old when the tragedy happened, and now 28 year old Eileen was living alone in her old home, at least as far as Sam had found. 'No marriage license or kids. Looks like it's just her. She could have tenants through. House-mates or something.' Sam had said. 'Or something' Dean had replied.'

"Nope." Sam was beyond frustrated now. Dean seemed determined to investigate. And Sam knew that Dean was as wigged out by this as he was, but it was their father's orders and Dean refused to be led astray from them. After leaving Steve they had left a message on their Dad's phone. They needed to know more. There must have been something that caught their Dad's interest. _'Where did the man get all this from? Sometimes it seems like he just pulls names and places out of his ass and low and beyond! there'd be something supernatural going on. He should be here with us. If he saw us in action, he'd realize that Dean and I are- ACK why even bother? But he had better include me when the demon that killed Mom and Jess goes down. I won't be left out!' _

"Let's review our facts again." Dean said, interrupting Sam's brooding.

"If Steve is right about Gage being found in a house fire after being buried; then Louis could have dabbled in dark arts, maybe a zombie spell? That kind of shit could make a man crazy pretty fast." Sam hypothesized

"Great, I love zombies. We'd have to stop and pick up a cricket bat!" Dean exclaimed.

"A what?"

"Yeah, it worked pretty well in Shawn of the Dead. Looked fun too."

"The zombies in that movie were slow and brainless. I remember 4 of them chasing you across that cemetery like a pack of wolves. You were screaming like a girl."

"HEY! I was 12! And you were the one screaming, hiding in car!" Dean said defensively.

"Sure you weren't."

"Maybe if you're lucky it won't pan out. But the trip won't be for nothing." Dean said.

"And why won't it be?" '_Why even ask a guy who tries to copy horror film moves for fun?_' thought Sam, he could almost see where Dean was going.

"It's a prime spot for Wendigos! It will be all nostalgic for us." Dean grinned.

Sam glared at him. '_Leave it to Dean to be excited about running into something that had almost eaten him!' _Sam whacked Dean across the head. He certain wouldn't push for that hunt. Wendigo's where once men, miners or loggers. Men, who in times of hardship took to cannibalism to survive. Over the years of eating other men's flesh, a man would become a Wendigo. A creature that was specialized in surviving. A master hunter. Who hunted people. Stories about them went back even into the history of Native Americans. They had faced one several months ago. It had capture Dean, had him hung up like a slab of meat. If it wasn't for Dean's damn trail of M&M's he may not have found him. It was way too close.

'You're such an ass." Sam grunted.

"Awww that hurts Sammy." Dean said in a squeaky child like voice. Earning him self a jab in the arm from Sam. Dean was pleased to see Sam acting more like him self. He hadn't been sleeping well…okay; he hadn't been sleeping well in a long time. But the last few nights he'd been talking in his sleep, like he was talking to someone. He didn't seem to remember it when he woke up. At least he said he didn't. Dean hated the fact that he couldn't be sure if Sam was telling the truth. From the mumbles Dean had made out only a few words and stings of a sentenced here or there. Something about 'an obedient cat named Smucky'Sam said the word 'spiral' a few times It didn't make any sense to him. '_But with our track record it's bound to bite me in the ass. Heaven forbid Sam have normal dreams_.'

"It's Sam. How about paying attention to the road, man. You're swerving. Let me drive." Sam asked.

"Bah, you? Mr. Alert? No thanks." Dean huffed. "You got what, 2 hours last night?"

"There were BUGS in the bed Dean. That place is definitly going on the top 10 list for shady motels. And it's not like you got much more." Sam didn't want to talk about his sleeping habits again_. 'It's bad enough that I'm talking in my sleep, but not remembering anything! What's the point in me having 'dreams' if I can't remember them? It's too normal…and I'm not used to normal, not since Jess_.' "Anyway, I left a message yesterday for Eileen saying that we're from the Forestry Department remapping the region, due to land claim issues. And we would like her cooperation reassessing where her property and government lands meet. I left another message this morning telling her we'd be in the neighborhood tomorrow and may drop by if she wouldn't mind."

"You're getting good at this. sigh Makes me proud." Dean grinned, holding a hand up too his heart. "Let's shoot for a bug free place tonight. Spoil ourselves."

The nearest main town from Ludlow was Bangor about 30 minutes from the house. But

they needed a closer home-base, which brought them to a nice little bed and breakfast,

a beautiful New England home, complete with a wrap around deck, and more flowers then a bee could dream of in a lifetime. Not the best bang for their buck. But after a night of literally sharing pillows with cockroaches, they'd bear the expenses if it meant regularly washed sheets.

"That's your Christmas and Birthday gifts for the next 3 years Sam."

"Geee thanks." Sam rolled his eyes.

Dean watched Sam toss and turn in his sleep that night. Tonight he was prepared. He placed their tape recorder on the nightstand, ready to catch any mumbles, should Sam start conversing again. He was not disappointed.

Sam squeezed his eyes tightly, trying to keep them closed. Damn Dean was noisy._"Stop stomping around Dean. Go to bed." He muttered from under the covers. He heard footsteps approach the end of his bed and stop. "Damn it Dean. I'm fine. I was sleeping fine till you starting dancing like an elephant." Dean didn't respond. But he could feel him there, standing at the end of his bed. "What the fuck is your problem De"- Sam pushed himself up onto his elbows ready to give Dean shit, maybe even throw a pillow- till he open his eyes and saw that the person standing at the end of his bed wasn't Dean, not by a long shot. 'For one, Dean wouldn't be caught dead in red jogging shorts. Speaking of dead-'Sam thought, suddenly seeing the guys head was cracked open. He jumped out of the bed, and looked over at Dean. Dean was sitting up in his bed, Pillow pushed up in a vertical position against the head broad so he could lean into it comfortably. He looked like he was sleeping. Sam turned back to the man with the cracked open head; who was still standing at the end of his bed. He had caked on blood all over him. With mud and pine needles plastered from the knees down. "I come as a friend." The guy said. "There's only destruction waiting here, you should take your brother and leave." Sam blinked. "Who are you?" "Victor Pascow, not that that matters any." "What do mean by destruction Victor?" "You'll see; if you stay you'll see. But the show won't be worth the emission price." 'Crap.' Sam thought, and turned to wake up Dean, as he reached out for Dean he realized that he shouldn't turn his back on Pascow. But looking back for him now, he saw no one. And a thorough look around the room relieved only him and Dean. A wave of exhaustion he had been fighting for what seemed like forever hit him. And he closed his eyes so he could rub them.'_

When Sam opened his eyes next the sun was coming through the floral drapes. He squinted and looked over at Dean. He was sitting cross-legged on his bed, twirling the tape recorder in his hands, his eyes were trained on the floor passed their beds, and his knife was resting on top of his pillow. He looked like he hadn't slept at all.

"Dean?" Sam asked, pulling himself up and swinging his legs over the side. "Get anything on tape?" Dean looked up at him then. He really hadn't slept, Sam was sure of that now. '_Now he's the one up all night, while I get rest?'_

"You don't remember do you?"

"No. I mean I slept well. Why? What's on the tape, what'd I say?" Sam was starting to worry now. Dean wasn't supposed to have serious expressions.

"What you said! How about what you did! And then some!" Dean pointed to the floor. And Sam looked. _'SHIT! Shitshitshitshitshitshit' _From the slightly ajar door to the foot of Sam's bed were muddy foot prints. '_Something had been in the room with us, and we slept through it? Dad would never let us hear the end of it.' _

Then Dean pressed the play button, and Sam listened to his one sided conversation. When it was done they both sat there in silence for a full on 5 minutes. Dean finally broke it, his voice sounded tired with a hint of miffed.

"I fell asleep, watching you toss and turn. I woke up as you were climbing back into bed. You where rubbing your eyes pretty hard and wouldn't respond to me. I couldn't have been out for more then 15minutes." In his mind Dean was blaming himself. _'How could something get into the room without me knowing it? It could have killed Sammy, and I would have woken up to a thud as Sam hit the ground! FUCK. Something was physically here, and Sam was talking to it in his sleep!_'

"From what I said on tape and our current state of being alive, 'Victor' may have been giving us information or-"

"Warning us? Yeah. Great lot of good it does us when you can't remember it -pause- Sorry." Dean said, _'Sam looks upset enough without me bitching.' _"At least from the footprints where dealing with something corporal, and human size…Do those look like Nike shoe prints to you?"

"A monster in high end footwear? It'd be the first."

Dean and Sam pulled into the driveway of the Creed home. _'Looks so pretty, a sure sign of evil.' _Dean thought. Sam had their I.D. prepared from the last town they went through. Even bought a clip board for the printouts of the property land he had gotten online. Dean's more professional appearing homemade equipment would serve well enough to make them look the part of surveyors.

The placed felt kinda off. But it was so subtle that it could just be their shaky knowledge of the case, making a warm welcome impossible. '_Heck, it could just be us. We must ooze creepy by now' _Deanthought

They went up the porch, and Dean knocked on the door. Sam stood behind him, he turned around to get a look at the 'lay of the land' -when he saw it- Sam felt like the wind had just been knocked out of him. Off in the distance, barley visible was a _path_ along the woods edge.

The door opened before Sam could alert Dean. A lovely young woman stood to greet them; she had deep brown eyes and darkish blonde hair. She smiled warmly at them.

"You must be from the Forestry Department. Sorry I wasn't able to call you back. Been a bit busy is all."

Dean stared at her before catching himself; he had to keep himself from saying _'You must be my next fling_.' And settled for: "You must be Eileen Creed?" But it didn't stop him from giving his best 'I like what I'm looking at' smile.

Sam rolled his eyes. '_God, he's a walking hormone._' He stepped in front of Dean, and offered his hand for a hand shake.

"Hi. Don't mind my co-worker here. We keep him locked in the office most the time, he doesn't see people much. I'm Peter Cuthbert, and this is Jack Assit." Sam smiled. He could feel Dean sending hate vibes at him.

Eileen laughed softly, "Jack Assit?"

"Yeah, my family were a bunch of mean bastards." Dean said, jabbing Sam in the back.

Eileen invited them in; and led them to the kitchen where she had taken out some the property maps for them the other day when she first got their call.

"I guess the Micmac's are still pursuing their land claim?" She said, giving a said smile. "It's a shame they and the government can't seem to work it out. But I can understand why they would fight for it."

"Oh?" Dean asked. _'Our luck can't be this good.'_

"Well, yeah. It's a beautiful area. The forest and hills are finer than you'd fine anywhere."

'_Thought so.' _Dean thought, deflated"You've got a lovely home."

"Thank you. My grandparents left me a lot of money when they passed away. I couldn't think of a better investment."

"We'd like to walk your property if you don't mind. You'd be welcome to walk with us, share some local history." _'Your history, houses history, local monsters, etc.' _Dean smiled…'_please don't be evil'_

"Sure thing." Eileen got up to get her jacket. As soon as she was out of the room, Dean leaned over to Sam.

"I hope she's not evil. Way too cute to be evil right?"

Sam rolled his eyes. "Priorities Ass-it. Before she answered the door I saw the path, the same one from my 'vision'. Looking at these maps it seems like it's just off her property."

They strolled along her property's hills. Sam had Dean's EMF reader out, running it along the forested edge. They told Eileen it was a GPS, connecting to satellites to give them their exact location. So far it wasn't picking up anything.

Sam could barely restrain himself from running straight to the path. It seemed to be taking forever to get to that section of land. And Dean seemed in no rush as he walked beside Eileen, it never failed to amaze Sam how much smooth sounding bullshit Dean could pull out when there was an attractive girl around. And to her credit, Eileen seemed tolerating him. Sam finally reached his goal. As he stood waiting for them to catch up. He couldn't help be feel a wave of sickening deja vu. _'Yup, the right spot.'_ The path seemed well taken care off.

"What's down this path?" Sam asked, trying to sound detached. Eileen smiled smoothly.

"My property doesn't extend in. But if you wanted to go in I'd have no problem showing you. It's a bit of a walk. But the destination makes it well worth it."

Sam stood there numbly, '_But the show won't be worth the emission price'_ he heard echo in his mind. It was on the tip of his tongue. '_Where have I heard that?'_

"It's been raining the past few days, so it will be a little muddy." Eileen said already moving down the path.

Sam and Dean exchanged looks, "Muddy?" Dean whispered.

About 10 minutes in Dean was getting bored. Eileen's mood had changed, she seemed more eager in bringing them to where ever the path lead then flirting.

"How about telling us where we're heading, Eilly?" Dean asked.

"And ruin the surprise? Nah. You guys will love it. The children in the town come here all the time. They take care of it. It's special." Eileen said in a manner that was a cross breed of sad and giddy.

Dean raised an eyebrow at Sam. Who in returned mouthed the word 'creepy' in reference to Eileen. The EMF still hadn't made a peep. And the woods themselves had a light breezy flow to them.

By the time Eileen came to a stop ahead of them, both Dean and Sam had broken a sweat. When they caught up to her she was looking fondly ahead. They followed her line of sight to an archway of weathered boards, with barely visible writing.

"Pet Sematary." Dean read out loud. Sam bit his bottom lip and looked at Dean.

"Yuppers." Eileen said then walked under it. The boys followed. Dean went through first, not letting Sam pass ahead till he had done a quick check for potential danger.

"Wow." Sam gasped. Taking in the sight of the clearing. It was full of markers, grave markers. Made of all varieties of materials from wood planks to pieces of tin. Some you could read, others where weathered away.

"The children in town bury their animals up here. Have been for a hundred years or more. The oldest ones are in the center, and they work out from there till the most recent."

"Children did this, all by themselves?" Dean asked. '_Something's wrong with those kids_.'

"That's right. They make the markers themselves too, but that's easy to tell. They put a lot of heart into it." Eileen, looked ridiculously happy, like a kid in a Macdonald's play world.

"Hannah the best dog that ever lived 1929-1939." Sam read out. '_1939! Holy crap that's old.'_

Sam looked over a Dean standing beside one of the markers staring intently at it. "Jack?"

Dean looked up at him. His face was paler by a few shades. He looked back down before saying, "Smucky the cat. He was obedient. 1971-1974." He looked back up at Sam.

Sam straightened. '_We're in the right place….or wrong place._'

Eileen came to stand behind Dean. "Funny isn't it? Who ever heard of an obedient cat? Right?"

"Right." Dean smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.

Sam wanted a higher view of the cemetery, to see if there was a pattern to the markers. _'What was the other thing I had been saying in my sleep…spirals?'_ Sam walked over to one end that moss covered wood, _'Kids even built a fence?_' Placing a foot to test its ability too hold his weight. He climbed up about 4 feet keeping his back against it. And indeed the markers made a spiral; it wasn't a very neat one. But it was a spiral. He looked over and saw Eileen staring at him. Just staring. Sam felt like he was pinned to a spinning wheel, waiting for Eileen to start throwing knifes. Then she smiled. It made him feel sick.

"Peter get down from there, just because we're in the land the kid's built doesn't mean you should act like –" Dean stopped and titled his head a little to the right. Was that a deadfall? _And there's something behind it, past this deadfall of twisted branches. Something behind it. _Steve Masterton's words stuck in Dean's head And just for a second Dean thought the moss covered branches looked like bleached _bones_. Just for a second. But that was all Dean needed to get his 'supernatural sense tingling'.

"Peter get down." He said firmly. Sam frowned; Dean knew he didn't like be ordered around. But before Sam could tell Dean where to shove it, he caught the hunter glare in his brother's eyes. Now would be a bad time to mess with Dean. So Sam jumped down.

"Anything else around here of interest?" Dean asked. He tried to soften his voice, but he knew it came out harsher.

"Nope." Eileen said smiling like the Cheshire Cat. "There's a swamp past the deadfall there, some thick forests that way."

Sam looked sharply back where he had just been climbing. '_A Deadfall? I had been on the deadfall and not some cruddy fence, and I didn't even notice!'_

"Guess you want me to take you back right? I've got to be signed into my computer by 3pm, online tech support and all." Eileen said as she headed back along the path.

Dean had Sam go first so he could cover his back. Dean didn't like this. '_Not. One. Fucking Bit.'_


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Stephen King and Warner brothers are the only geniuses here. I only hope that my misadventures using their characters and themes do not offend them. I am merely a poor student, who will remain poor.

Dean and Sam followed Eileen out of the Pet Sematary and back to her property.

Sam's mind was putting everything they had together. '_Dad's e-mail sent us to Steve Masterson. I had a vision of Steve's past in some woods. Then Steve told us of a tragedy in Ludlow Main. Which has brought us to Ludlow where we've found the location of both my vision and Steve's narrative. Steve said he believed the body of Eileen's baby brother was found in a burnt down house across the street days after his burial-' _His thoughts were cut off.

"If you need to make a return visit that'd be cool." Eileen said, then she paused and looked at Dean sheepishly. "If you want to hear anymore local history Mr. Assit just give me a call." Eileen said before disappearing into her house.

Dean stood there blinking. Sam slapped him on the shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm just as surprised as you that'd she'd make an advance. I sure sign that she's psycho or you know, blind."

"Hey! You're just jealous. Besides we've had enough crazy chicks recently. We're due for a sane one." Dean shot back, heading for the car.

Back at the Bed and Breakfast Sam was on the laptop. Pulling up what few bits of information they could get on Gage Creed.

"We should confirm the Gage story. See if we're really dealing with a resurrection of some kind, Dean."

"Great. That means we need to see if the body is were it should be."

"Yup, Pleasantview cemetery, in Bangor. Take about 30 minutes to get there."

"Hold up there partner. Can't go digging up graves in the afternoon, people may talk." Dean said in between mouth fulls of cheetoes.

"We can at least go find where the grave is. Not all our cemetery visits have to be conducted under the shadow of night. Walking around for hours trying to pick out a stone we've never seen before, and tripping all over them in the dark!"

"Fine, trample all over one of our finest family traditions!"

Sam rolled his eyes. "Then we can go to the university first. See if there's anyone there who would remember Louis. By the time we get to the cemetery it will be getting dark. Does that appease you?"

"You just want to go to nerd town." Dean grinned and walked out to the car.

Sam entered into the campus med centre, Dean dropped him off and went to try and find a parking spot, Sam smiled to himself '_Bet his cursing up a storm trying to find one_.' He noticed a few staff milling about, but his best chances were with the older people, they were dealing with a 22 year old case after all. He homed in on a pretty middle aged woman, who was sifting through a massive load of inventory papers. Her name tag read Judy DeLessio.

"Hi"

"Hello, young man. How are you feeling today?" She asked kindly. Sam realized she was scanning him for any signs of illness or injury.

"OH, I'm fine. I'm not a potential patient. I'm doing a paper on the history of the university's med centre. Hoping you could give me a hand?"

"And take a break from this inventor list…well, you've twisted my arm Mr…?"

"Sam. Sam Peters."

"Well Sam, have a seat. Can't imagine it's an exciting paper topic. Unless flu's and sprained wrists are suddenly all the rage."

"Umm, yeah. Have you been working here long Ms Delessio?"

"Too long my boy. I was a student here, a Candy-Striper in this centre. Learning the ropes. All the way back in 83."

'_That's when Louis was working here, what luck! What…convenience.'_ "Nothing out of the ordinary then? I've done some reading, I think oww what was the name, Creed or something was the doctor back then?"

"Why yes-" Delessio said, paling a little. "-only that one year. The poor man. I can still remember it."

"What happened?"

"It was the first day for the both of us, if you can believe it. I spent most of that day being sick because of it. It was the first fatality of the year. A young student was hit while jogging on campus. I hadn't seen so much blood before. And rarely since."

Sam's mind felt fuzzy for a moment, images passing before his eyes…memories _a bloody man standing at the foot of his bed, his head was cracked open, he was wearing jogging shorts_

"I remember his head was cracked open, my stomach didn't make it long after I saw a bit of his brain poking out. He died here, with Louis over him. On Louis' first day heading the centre. I think it must have set a morbid tone for the year."

"What was his name?"

"The boy…that's stretching my memory a bit." She bit her lip. "Vincent maybe or Victor, yes Victor."

Then Sam remembered. He remembered his entire dream, his conversation with a dead man. '_"Who are you?" "Victor Pascow, not that that matters any."' _"Victor Pascow?"

"Why yes, I think that was it. How did you-"

"I must have read it in some of the old newspapers I've been researching. What can you tell me about Louis? Do you know why he left?" Sam knew he should be more tactful, but his mind was still reeling from his memory. It was true that he'd talked to ghosts before, a word here or there before having to shoot. But nothing like this. '_Where's Dean!'_

15 minutes and 4 circles around the campus later and Dean was getting pissed… he had legitimate reasons for not enjoying campus visits -besides the snotty profs who gave him strange looks for his questions on local monster lore- the parking was awful! And he'd be damned if he'd leave his baby girl beside some snot noised 19 year olds car, who would (in Dean's mind), slam into his Chevy repeatedly trying to pull out of a wide parking spot. His phone rang, and Dean pulled over to answer.

"Sam?"

"Shit Dean! I've been talking to a dead man!" Sam sounded panicked.

"WHAT? There's a Casper at the med centre?"

"No, I mean I just finished talking to nurse who's been here since Louis's term. Dean, she told me that on Louis' first day a student by the name of Victor Pascow died here, hit by a car. When she told me I remembered my dreams. It was him I've been talking to!"

"Well, this is new and exciting." Dean said dryly. _'Why can't the Freakies leave my brother allow for a little while?' _"I'm going to come around and pick you up."

Dean huge up the phone, and mock pounded his head into the steering wheel, (he wouldn't actually do that, his Chevy didn't deserve a beating). Putting the car in drive he pushed down on the gas as he looked back up to the road. Just in time to see an old guy standing right in front of the car. Dean stop the car as he watched the man disappear below the it. _'Fuck me!_' He chanted in his head as he jumped out of his seat and sprinted to the front of his car. The man wasn't there…Dean cursed and looked under the car –nothing- no blood, not even a dent on the bumper.

Dean stood still_, 'Okay, I just hit a ghost. But Victory was a student, the guy I saw had to be in his 80s…' _"Umm, if there's some old ghost guy around here, I'm kind of busy right now. But I'll get back to you soon." '_Yup I must definitely be oozing creepy'. _Dean looked back to his car, and saw the old man seating in the passenger seat. "Ah crap."

The old man waved him in. Dean's jaw dropped.

"Dude, get out of my car."

The ghost just shook his head as if annoyed, and waved him over again. _'I don't believe this! The keys are in the ignition, I can't get into the trunk with the weapons without reaching into the car.' _Dean walked over to the driver's side, grateful for leaving the window down. He reached in as fast as he could to grab the keys. But the old ghost was faster, and grabbed his wrist.

"No need to panic there boy. I'm not here to hurt you." Dean strained to understand him; the ghost had a thick Yankee accent. Then the ghost let go of him. "Climb on in, she's your car ain't she? A real beauty at that."

Dean looked mystified, _'Had a ghost just praised my car? Could a ghost with good taste be evil?'_

Dean opened the door and eyed the guy wearily as he sat down.

"See, I don't bite. Call me Jud."

"Well, Jud, why are you in my car?" _'_

"Thought you'd be more comfortable talking in your own territory."

"Yeah, what do you want to talk about?" Dean said,_ 'Now I'm talking to a dead man. Oh the irony.' Shit Sammy! _ Dean looked for his cell phone. _'Damn I think he's sitting on it.'_'

"Looking for that modern contraption I'm sitting on are you. Amazing what people accomplished, don't know how I would have adapted to all the technology if I'd of had a chance. Probably for the better though." Jud laughed. "But I'm not here for me. I'm done and gone. I'm here for you and your brother. You went to the Pet Sematary today, with Eileen." Jud paused then, and seemed to be remembering something fondly. "She was such a pretty young thing. But you need to be careful, in fact, you both need to leave."

"Jud? Wait, you where Louis neighbor? The house that burned down was yours?"

"Eileen was a little girl back then, before it all went to hell. It's all my fault really."

"What do you mean?"

"I bought Louis there the first time-" Jud cut himself off '_No, No I won't tell him that, I won't give you another one you bastard.'_

"Where did you bring him Jud? To the pet sematary? To whatever's behind it?" Dean watched the ghost battle with himself. But Jud gave him a cold glare at the mention of the 'what was behind', but it melted into something sad and sorrowful.

"You and your brother need to leave, Dean. It's hungry again, and all your knowledge and battle prowess won't do you any good."

"What is _It_?"

Jud started flickering, '_if you're not going to be helpful, you aren't going to be here'_ it whispered to Jud.

Jude's fading eyes looked up at Dean, "The soil of a man's heart is stonier, he grows what he can and tends it. Your brother Dean, he's got a gardener in him."

And Jud was gone.

"Shit! Sammy's contagious."

"I can't believe you talked to a ghost!" Sam said laughing. He hadn't laughed this hard in ages, and certainly not at Dean. Dean just glared out ahead at the road, as they headed to Bangor.

"I didn't have a gun on me." Dean replied defensively.

"That's even worse! Dean Winchester not on guard 24/7! Dad would have a bird!" Sam laughed.

"Thanks Sammy."

"It's Sam. I'm just teasing."

"You'll be doing the digging, smart ass."

They found the grave of Gage Creed, and left to wait till dark to return with shovels. They ate at a nearby pizzeria, watching the sun go down.

"Apparently, the day after the house fire Louis called the university and quit. He didn't give a reason. No one from there saw him after that. She told me that Steve Masterton wouldn't even talk about it. When they went to the house to talk with him, he didn't answered. After awhile, everyone assumed he went to Chicago to rejoin Rachel and Eileen. Until police came asking around for Rachel and Louis. No one knows how that ended. Just that the bank repossessed the house several months later." Sam said, recalling his conversation with Judy.

"Rejoin in Chicago?"

"Yeah, apparently, Rachel and Eileen had left shortly after the funeral. Louis was supposed to follow a few days after, get a break from the house and memories and all. But they were supposed to come back. The police said that Rachel returned to Ludlow a couple days after, even found her rental car outside Jud's house, but not her, and that was the last anyone heard."

"Fantastic. Did Judy mention the owners afterward?"

"There are some haunted house rumors around, but no incidents she could think of, the place just had a high turn over rate. I asked her if she knew that Louis' daughter had bought the place. She got really quite. Said that people think that's pretty weird. But she had nothing bad to say about her. Keeps to herself mostly."

"Damn townies."

"Dean, you 'damn' city people too. Who do you like?"

"Me. I'm great. You don't know how lucky you are Sammy."

Sam rolled his eyes. They finished their pizzas and went back to the cemetery. They watched the groundskeeper lock it up for the night. And waited for the traffic to thin out, it wasn't a long wait, a town like Bangor gets quite pretty fast. They got out the bags holding their shovels and walked across the street. The wrought-iron fence wasn't friendly looking. But they weren't rookies when it came to fence hopping.

"The bitch tore my jeans." Dean cursed, after getting snagged going over.

"Which one of the twenty holes did it make?" Sam grumbled, his mood darken with each step into the cemetery. _'Man, this part of the job really blows. The only time people our age should be sneaking around in graveyards is when we're trying to impress a girl, or get a Halloween scary. It always feels like a bad B-movie'_

"You're still digging geek boy."

35 minutes later

'_No wait…digging up graves is much worse then sneaking._' Sam mentally moaned, Dean had actually tossed the shovels at him and preached himself on the Gage's head stone. "Are you seriously not helping here?"

"I'm tired; I didn't sleep well last night. I'll help you get the casing off. Keep digging. It's good for your upper body strength. Can't rely on spoon bending all the time."

"It was one time you jerk! You'd of had your brains blown out across the wall if I hadn't somehow used telekinesis!"

"I had a plan!"

Sam just scoffed. '_Sometimes Dean, you can be a real ungrateful ass.' _The shovel came down again. And made a loud cink sound. _'About time.' _

Dean hopped into the grave then, and together then cleared anyway the remaining rubble.

They both stop and stare down at the casing. It was askew.

"That's just great." Sam huffed.

"Yeah. It so ruined the surprise of opening the coffin."

Sam stared sadly at Dean. '_You were actually excited weren't you? Damn it. I wish you could see how wrong this all is Dean. You could have so much more than this.'_

"Earth to Sam." Dean called waving a hand in front of him. "Still with me?"

"Yeah."

With a little muscle power they pushed up the cement cover. And Dean scooted down to open the casket. Sam watched Dean open the top, but from his angle he couldn't see inside.When it was just half open Dean pushed back from it, giving a yell.

"Dean!" Sam jumped over to get in front of him, and kicked the casket top open as he pulled the rock salt gun out from his pants…

There was only a spade inside…a bend spade. Dean started laughing behind him.

"What the fuck Dean! That's not funny!" Sam couldn't believe. _'After all the shit that's come out of coffins and killed people, how the hell could he joke like that?'_

Dean was still bent over laughing. "Hey, laugh, if something really was in there your slow reaction time laugh would have gotten me laugh killed."

"You…..you…..forget it. I'm not talking to you." Sam huffed. He pushed up and out of the grave. And started heading back to the car. _'Dean can fill it in himself. Can't believe he did that. Asshole, never heard of the boy who cried wolf.'_

Sam leaned against the car, the fumes of his anger eventually simmered down. Dean was hard to stay mad at. _'He was just being himself. He wasn't trying to piss me off. Just trying to lighten the mood in his own messed up way. He did it all the time when we were kids. Even tried to make salt circles around our beds to protect us from demons seem like fun; "Bet none of your friends at school get to have a sand-box in their room, huh Sammy?' _

About 45 minutes later he watched Dean fall over the fence with a thud, and limp over to the car. Sam didn't try to hide his amusement.

"Still mad?" Dean asked as he stretched his back, making an audible crack.

"Whatever. Let's just get out of here."

Dean smiled. "You never could stay mad at me."

"Don't tell me you kept the bent spade?" Sam watched Dean toss the tools back into the trunk, plus one.

"Seems a shame to waste a perfectly good weapon. We can make some stakes out of the handle; melt down the metal into-"

"-Alright, forget I asked."

The trip back up to the Bed and Breakfast was silent. The humor only lasted a couple blocks before the reality of what an empty coffin meant seeped in. The body of Gage Creed had been exhumed.

"If Steve's right, and Gage's body was in the house fire days after his burial, it could be that he was just a dead body, and not 'zombie Gage'. Louis could have just brought him over?" Sam said. Not that he really believed that. _'It's never was that simple.'_

"People suffering grief just don't dig up loved ones bodies and hide them in their neighbor's houses. Louis must have done some kind of zombie ritual, he'd had to of had an altar set up somewhere."

"I doubt it's in the house, or as least still is. That wouldn't have gotten by the real state agents." Sam said.

"And Steve said he saw Louis bring his wife's body into the woods? Maybe he had something set up in there. Rituals to bring people back are heavy duty; to reanimate a body is seriously scary shit. Usually involves human sacrifice."

"So we need to go into the woods. Behind that deadfall in the pet sematary. If he used a natural altar, large flat rocks or something it should still be there. If it's recognizable as an altar now. We should also check for missing persons during that time. If he used a sacrifice."

"Finding an old altar's not our biggest problem, Sam."

"Yeah, we don't know what happened to Louis. He could still be kicking around somewhere?"

"Hell, Rachel could be too. And then there's the '_It', _whatever it is that Steve felt and Jud mentioned. What do you think - three for the price of one?"

"Great." Sam replied, the car became silent again as Sam stared out on to the road, watching trucks zoom by.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Stephen King and Warner brothers are the only geniuses here. I only hope that my misadventures using their characters and themes do not offend them. I am merely a poor student, who will remain poor.

"There are no missing persons reported in the area during that time. The only incident at all was the house fire. Jud's house fire." Sam said from his laptop, back at the Bed and Breakfast. Now that Dean had encountered Jud, it seemed appropriate to use the guy's name. Jud said he was to blame for starting something, for bringing Louis somewhere. But he was gone before Dean could get more.

"We need more info." Dean called from the washroom, where he had been taking his time preening. They needed to know more about the events back then. So Dean had boldly offered to ask Eileen out for lunch. _'Chat her up, try to find out what she remembered. At the worst, at least I'll have something nice to look at for awhile. Hanging with your brother 24/7 was fine, but a guy needs some space sometimes, and some feminine company.'_

"What if she's apart of this? It could be dangerous." Sam cautioned.

"Don't worry, I know how to keep business and pleasure separate. If she try's sacrificing me I'll light up the bat signal."

"Dean."

Dean rolled his eyes. "I'm not a rookie Sam, I've got my knife tucked under my shirt if things get hairy. And the cars fully loaded. You getting any, you know, vibes right now?" Dean asked, wiggling his fingers for effect.

"No, nothing. And that's the problem. I didn't even dream last night."

"Shouldn't you be happy about that?"

"Not when you've been getting warnings through them! What if it means that we're past getting out, or something?"

"We don't leave jobs unfinished."

"What is the job here, Dean? Everything is pointing to events more then 20 years old."

"Dad got us going on this Sam. That means there IS something going on. Maybe history is going to repeat itself. Jud said 'It' was getting hungry again." _'Why does Sam always have to fight things?' _

"If 'It' is a demon or monster of some kind then what does Louis have to do with it?"

"GAAAH! I don't know yet." Dean called out as he grabbed his jacket and opened the door. "Call me in 45minutes if your worried. Make sure I'm still alive." Dean slammed the door as he left.

"Ass." Sam grumbled. But then the door reopened. And Dean poked his head in.

"Make yourself useful while I'm out, and search for local legends and stuff, Geek boy." Dean pulled his head out before a balled up dirty sock could hit him.

When Dean didn't make a return, Sam huffed and puffed, and then decided that the computer wasn't going to get them much more information. Dad's journal had this part of the state ear marked as potential Wendigo territory; it was even the state of their first family werewolf hunt. But not this area. _'Ludlow and Bangor should consider themselves lucky.'_

Sam left their room and made his way out to the porch, taking a seat in the swinging chairs and watching the quite country scene.

After 20minutes of staring out at the clear blue sky it was getting a little unnerving. '_I've been in this lifestyle for to long. I was half expecting something to jump out and attack me.'_

Dean pulled up to the Eileen's home. He saw her in the front window, she waved to him and popped out the door a moment later.

"Please be a normal, non-psycho hot chick." Dean mumbled, unlocking and pushing open the passenger door as she came around the car.

"Hi Jack." She smiled. But did not getting in the Chevy.

'_Damn that's a nice smile. Almost as good as mine.' _Dean smiled back. "Going to hop in? I don't bite."

"Nah, I made us lunch. I figured a boy like you would appreciate a picnic more then some run down diner." She smiled and closed the passenger door. "Now come on up to the house. I'll let you pick the picnic spot Mr. Land Surveyor."

'_Is she mocking me…or being sexy.'_ Dean asked himself as he watched her walk away, swing her hips as she did so. Dean closed his eyes and made a silent pray to whatever Being may be out there that he hadn't pissed off…yet. _'Let me have this one simple picnic, no zombies or human sacrifices…just this once.' _Not putting much trust in his prayer though, he patted the knife he had tucked in his pants. '_Play safe._'

15 minutes in and it was genuine picnic. Not that Dean had ever gone on one before. He'd seen them in movies. And he supposed he and his family had camped out several times. But nothing like this, Eileen had a checked blanket and everything. _'Not to shabby._' Dean made a point to select a spot far from the path into the woods. And within sight of his car…just in case.

"Don't you ever get afraid living in a big house all by yourself, right on the woods?" Dean took a bit of a chicken club sandwich… _'Oohh tastes soo much better than a fast food one.'_

"Nah, I love it here. So peaceful. I lived here once before you know." She said, looking back towards the house.

"You're the same Creed? I guess that'd make sense. Peter said the property was owned by a Louis Creed some 20 years back. I think." Dean said as smooth as a placid lake. Years of lying had made him a pro at it. Eileen beamed at him. It made him feel uneasy all of a sudden.

"Yeah, that was my Dad. Louis Creed. We didn't stay here long. But I always _dreamed_ of coming back." She looked wishfully at Dean.

"Why'd you parents leave?"

"My little brother Gage was hit by a truck just on the road there. Kind of made it hard for awhile. But I know Gage would have wanted us to stay. So I came back." Her smile hadn't wavered a bit telling such a sad tale.

'_Oh man, call me Sammy, call and give me an excuse to get away from memory lane of the damned._'

"That must sound pretty creepy hun?"

"Nah." _'Yeah'_

"Do you believe in the supernatural Jack?"

Dean gave her a blank stare. _'This can't be a good sign.'_

"You know ghosts, monsters, and unexplainable things?" Eileen asked, looking for all Dean could believe like a little girl who wanted to tell her parents all about her first day at school.

"Ah come on. That's all a bunch of hooey" Dean said waving his hand dismissively. Then he leaned closer to Eileen. "Why? Have you seen, you know, stuff?" Dean wiggled his fingers for emphasis. He always did for Sam. But doing it for someone else felt wrong now.

"Well,-" Eileen scooted over to Dean, pressing a thigh against him. "-ever heard of a Wendigo before?"

"Noo."

"It's a monster, if one touches you, you turn into a cannibal."

"Really? That's pretty freaky. Where'd you hear that?" _'I've never heard of a Wendigo with that kind of power…if it were true that would make me a cannibal. Must be something else. Or a really ancient Wendigo…maybe the original, the first. Dad would kill to hear this.'_

"The Micmac's, the Native Americans from this region, they believed that the Wendigo lives in the woods here and that it spoiled their scared ancestral burial grounds."

Dean piped up at that. _'Ancient burial grounds are a power place, and good place for a resurrection spell. 10 bucks says it's past that deadfall!'_"That's pretty cool. Do you know where the burial ground was?"

"It's not on my land that's for sure, it's-" ring

'_Damn it Sam. Not the time.' _"Pardon me. Peter can't zip up by himself." Dean turned away and answered his phone.

"Hello."

"Dean. How are things going?" Sam asked on the other end.

"Peter, I'm busy. Can't you take care of the grid yourself?"

"Guess your fine then. Have you learned anything?"

"I'm having a picnic. I'm not in the mood to talk about work."

"A picnic! You're having a picnic! Dean!"

"I'll meet up with you shortly, just don't call the office till I'm back." Dean made annoyed hiss and closed the phone. "So, where were we? Oh yeah. You were telling me about a burial ground." Dean leaned in, trying to recapture Eileen's open mood.

"So now you're a believer?"

"Well, seeing is believing?"

Eileen laughed. It sounded childlike and innocent.

'_Man, this woman is confusing.'_

"All right buddy. Come back tonight and I'll show you. Bring your hiking boots."

"Tonight?"

"Well you can't go walking around in the woods during the day. Where's the scary mood there?"

'_Touché.'_

Not 5 minutes after hanging up with Dean, Sam's peaceful sitting had been interrupted by a group of kindly old ladies looking for a 4th player for cards. Now he wished he'd been attack by something...something he could shoot.

"Young man, why didn't you support my diamonds?" A lady with purple hair asked from across the table.

"Oh don't yell at the boy, Abbey." Hushed the pink haired one.

"I wasn't yelling, Mary."

'_Oh man….' _Sam groaned.

"Your going to scary our newest team member away Abbey! So, Peter, what brings you to Ludlow?" Mary asked as she led the next hand.

"My co-worker and I are doing some land surveys. For the Micmac claim case."

"Well that sounds interesting. My backyard goes up against the woods. Will you be needing to come by?" said Jane, her hair was almost green in color.

"Uh-" Sam started.

"-OH don't go other there Peter. She'll have you cutting her grass, and trimming those awful hedges of hers." Mary chided.

"Well, I'd feed him for it! I make the finest apple pie you know. You could use some fattening up." Jane said as she gave Sam a pinch on the side.

'_I want to die…just curl up and die…wait…first kill Dean after he gets back form his fun picnic!'_

"Let's change the topic girls. Make Ludlow sound at least a little interesting."

Sam smiled faintly, _'Little old ladies are good at gossiping. Maybe they might know something I could use?'_ "Ludlow seems pretty quite. Anything extraordinary ever happen around these parts?"

"In Ludlow! Not unless you find blue ribbon pumpkins exciting."

"How about stories? Like ghost stories, those are always interesting, every town has some." Sam gave his best curious little school boy face, old ladies didn't stand a chance.

Boy did Sam regret that. After 10 minutes of ghosts haunting old barns, herding milk cows, even a well; Sam was ready to pull his hair out. Dean would love to hear this, some even sounded like they had potential. But he needed to cut in and redirect it.

"I once heard a story about a boy coming back from the dead. Like days after he was buried." Sam said, trying to sound casual about it.

"That's spooky." Mary said.

"Like Lazarus in the bible." Jane added.

Sam listened to the two ladies comment on the biblical implications of such a thing. But he noticed Abbey wasn't joining in. Just staring at her cards. _'Bingo'_

"Penny for your thoughts?" Sam leaned forward, offering Abbey a smiling friendly.

"I prefer those sappy romances to horror. Never could sleep at night after hearing some spooky tale told around an open fire pit."

"Do you have one to share, Abbey? I promise not to scary anyone with it."

"Oh don't get her started on that Peter. She'll go on and on." Jane interrupted. But her interruption seemed to have sparked some defiance in Abbey.

"Well, then. It was a long time ago, when I was just a little girl.-"

"-Here she goes." Abbey gave Mary a quick little glare for her comment.

"My Pa once told me a horrible story. It was during the Second World War. One of our young men was killed fighting over in Europe. His father took it really hard. When his son's body was shipped back to Maine he had a funeral for him. The poor boy, I think his name was Timmy, but it doesn't matter now. Anyway, they say that he came back, not long after his own funeral. Timmy was back in Ludlow, walking up and down the lanes. And he wasn't a ghost either my Pa said. Nope, he was flesh and blood. Would even talk with you. My Pa said he was the nicest boy around, till after he came back. Then he got real mean. Said things that were just awful. My Pa told me Timmy would look into your eyes and know your deepest darkest secret. Timmy's father told everyone that the Army made a mistake and his boy hadn't been killed, that his boy was just fine, come back from severing his country. But-"

"Finish up already, Abbey. The house burned down not long after the boy 'came back'. Father and boy found dead inside. And of course the Army had made a mistake, Abbey, to think anything else is blasphemous." Mary finished for her.

Jane looked at Sam. "Back when we were girls people sometimes talked about the Micmacs. About some cemetery in the woods that was 'magical' to them. They said that if you buried a person there, they'd come back. Now how's that for nonsense?"

Sam's throat was suddenly dry, parched. _'Oh. My. God.' _"Umm…Yeah, that's pretty far fetched. Any ideas where this burial ground was?" Sam was mortified, he tired to submerge the feeling, but he couldn't be sure if his face gave it away.

"Honey, there's no such place. At least not a magical one, that's for sure." Mary said briskly, looking over at Abbey. "No sir."

"I mean, when I'm surveying the land, an ancient cemetery could really help the Micmac's claim." _'This is crazy, this is fucked._'

"Sorry sweetheart. Timmy's story is a war story; of a poor shell shocked boy, that some people have elaborated on. Now, this is no way to play cards. How about some lawn bowling?" Mary asked. The ladies agreed that lawn bowling was an excellent idea.

'_A place that can bring back the dead…I've never heard of anything like that. It would have to been ancient. It would have to be powerful. It would have to be sentient.'_

Dean pulled up to the Bed and Breakfast about 30mins after talking with Sam. They needed to prepare for the woods. No chance that it'd be a smooth nature hike. He got up in to the room, it was empty. 'Where's is he?'

"Sam?" Dean called out, and then cringed. '_Crap.' _"Peter?" _'Sam knows not to take off. There's nothing around here but country clubs.' _Dean went over to the window…And there was Sam across the lane. With a bunch of old ladies…lawn bowling.

"Hahahahahahaha." Dean laughed; he couldn't help it, Sam looked ridiculous standing over there. Towering over the old woman. One of whom looked like she was trying to teach him how to bend and throw properly. '_He is never living this down.'_

Sam looked up to see Dean walking over with a grin a mile wild plastered on his face.

'_Shit. Dean's never going to let me live this down.'_

"Ladies, I hope my co-worker here hasn't been bugging you?"

Sam could only gawk as Dean sweet-talked them into releasing 'Peter', promising to return him tomorrow after they had finished some business. Dean patted Sam on the shoulder and turned him towards the Bed and Breakfast.

"Having a good afternoon dear?" Dean cooed in Sam's ear, as they came around to the car.

Sam shoved him away, "At least I got something useful out of it!"

"Like proper bending techniques?"

"No, like a burial ground that brings people back to life." Sam filled Dean in on the Timmy story, and Dean made the same mortified expression that Sam had made.

"You think the place could be sentient? Bringing people back on its own? Dude, I'm voting for a zombie spell. Easier to deal with."

"A spell that both Timmy's dad and Louis would have done? Decades apart? In the same woods?" Sam pressed.

"Well, where going to get an up close and personal look at the place tonight."

"How? The ladies didn't know where it was."

"But I know one lady who does. And she's already volunteered to take us."


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Stephen King and Warner brothers are the only geniuses here. I only hope that my misadventures using their characters and themes do not offend them. I am merely a poor student, who will remain poor.

Sam and Dean sat in their room at the Bed and Breakfast with almost the whole trunk sprawled out on the beds.

"So we've got guns and axes if there are any zombies hanging around out there. Some fire works for any local Wendigos. How are you doing on the exorcism spells?" Dean asked as he sharpened an axe.

"If the place is possessed by some kind of demon we have a Sumerian ritual that should banish it. If it's enchanted there's a Latin one. But what if it's not under the influence of something?"

"Sam, a piece of ground can't be 'alive' on its own. Jud said 'it' was getting hungry again, so something has to be behind it, pulling the strings. Tricking people into bury their dead there, using some ritual so the creature can have little zombie people to burn down things."

"Little zombie people to burn down things? And since when did you start trusting ghosts?"

"Shut up."

"And Timmy was talking to people, saying things. Zombies aren't social. Zombies can't even pass off being alive when you get with a few meters of them. If their not rotting flesh then there eyes give them away, blank and hollow."

"Well maybe the creature is making super zombies?"

"Dean!"

"What Sam? You think the place is actually bringing people back to life, fully alive, walking, talking, independent people? Nothing can do that."

"Not fully. Abbey said Timmy turned mean. And we don't know what Gage was like. But they both ended up dead again soon after."

"So let's look at what you're saying: the burial ground is sentient, no strings attached. And that the burial ground used its own power somehow lured Gage and Timmy's dads there. Where they reburied their dead sons. And then their boys came back. At least one of them, Timmy, came back all rude. Both boys ended up in house fires. Where someone else died with them. Rachel somehow died at the same time as the house fire Gage was in. And Louis brought her into the woods, we assume for the purpose of bringing her back also. Then they both disappear from record. At which time Steve Masterton followed him, felt the presence of something 'huge' touch him. But he was able to get away." Dean finished, sucking in a big breath. "How do you explain the huge thing?"

"The burial ground would have a powerful aura, maybe Steve felt that? Or even the Wendigo. gah But then he wouldn't have gotten away." Sam realized that they could spend all day poking holes in this situation. "Alright, back to what we know; Timmy's Dad's and Jud's house fires. Both house fires were started trying to kill Timmy and Gage?"

"Or set by Timmy and Gage?" Dean countered.

"But killing themselves in the process?"

"Zombies aren't self persevering. But both are a sign of evil being afoot. Either Timmy's Dad and Jud killed the zombie kids, and why would you kill something if it was normal and non-evil? Or the zombie kids killed them taking their zombie-selves out at the same."

"What if their not zombies?" _'I can't shake this feeling. I can't even pin it down.'_

"Sam, come on. That's what we call the walking dead." _'Damn,_ _why is he giving me such a hard time?' _

"But what if their not dead anymore? What if their actually resurrected? Alive!"

"That's not possibly. When you die, you're dead. Or you're a ghost, a ghoul, a zombie…but not alive again, you don't get a soul back. Timmy certainly doesn't sound like he did." Dean said, '_Dude, this is getting old._'

"But what if he did? But came back mean, spoiled? Like how Eileen told you about the Wendigo spoiling the ground there. I know we've never heard of a Wendigo being able to do that, but what if the Wendigo somehow caused the ground there to come alive!"

Dean groaned; "Sam, your sounding crazier by the minute. Can we at least agree that this is a crazy, fucked up mess?" Dean asked, holding out his hand. Sam grabbed it firmly.

"That we certainly can."

Dean pulled the car off the road and parked it about a mile from Eileen's house. Sam looked over, giving Dean a confused expression.

"Dean, you stopped a little short of the driveway there. What gives?"

"We're not meeting Eileen till 9." Dean said as he exited the car. He made his way around to the trunk and opened it. Shuffling through and pulling out a couple guns and other items.

"Then why are we here now? I'm not just going to sit here for an hour."

"You're not going too. We're going to the house. See what Eileen's up too first." Dean said as he tossed Sam a gun.

"We're going to spy on her? Perv."

"Please, I'm a professional, unlike some people I know. Besides' Eileen was awfully keen on taking me to the burial ground. She's got something planned. So we are going to spy on her. And see what it is first. And if she happens to walk around her house naked then that's just lucky for us."

"Keen?" Sam repeated raising his eyebrow.

"Got a problem with my vocabulary, college boy?"

"No, just reminds me of the ladies from this afternoon, that's all. You know, they where really _keen_ on lawn bowling."

"So where you by the looks of it."

Sam humped, and started walking.

They walked in silence, staying a little off the road to avoid the occasional truck that zoomed by. It was pretty quite until Dean started singing, off tune.

"The cat came back, the very next day. The cat came back, they thought he was a goner. But the cat came back, he just couldn't stay-"

"-Shut up Dean, that's not funny. If your nervous hum Metallica or something!"

"I'm not nervous, jerk."

"Ass-it."

The name calling continued till they got onto the Creed property, then their well ground in hunter instincts took over. The house was dark, except for the kitchen where the windows had the blinds drawn. Sam and Dean crouched along the ground till they were below the kitchen windows. Each one took a window, and looked for a crack in the blinds to see through. Sam was the first to meet with success and waved Dean over. But there was only enough room for one to peek at a time. And Sam's height gave him the advantage.

"Is she in there?" Dean whispered.

"Yeah, her and someone else. Another woman I think. I can't see the other very well."

Dean reached into his pocket and pulled out an odd looking suction cup with wires coming out one end. On the other end of the wires was what looked like a mutilated ear phone, from an unfortunate head set (perhaps the partner of the walkman that was now the spook meter).

"More homemade gadgets? Sam smirked. _'Dean should think about a job in electronics one day.'_

Dean stuck out his tongue at Sam, and gentle pressed the suction cup onto the window, and then held the ear piece to his ear to hear.

"Hearing anything?" Sam whispered as he continued squinting through the cracked blinds.

Dean shushed him. _'Damn this thing is crap. I can't make out much.'' _

He was only getting choppy sentences. He could make out two voices, but couldn't tell who was saying what, the voices were too similar. But he repeated the words in a whisper to Sam as they came.

"Ham…….Going out………St. Elmo's fire…..Make sure you keep…..And don't ruin your new jacket….Batteries charged yet?...Handsome young man you have there Eileen……" Dean smiled at them. _'Damn straight I am.' _"I'm too old for that now….

Sam's gasp stopped Dean's repetition. Sam gawked at him.

"Dude, I'm just repeating what they say, not making up how handsome I …" Sam wiped his head back to look through the window, cutting off Deans words. When Sam looked back at Dean, his skin tone had paled. Sam gestured to the crack.

"What?" Dean asked.

"The other women! She's old, like late 50's or something."

"So?"

"So!" Sam slapped a hand over his mouth, and squeezed his eyes shut. '_That was too loud.' _

Dean gestured that the women had continued talking, seeming to not notice the noise Sam had just made. "So? Old women aren't uncommon."

"I saw her eyes, Dean, their…their cloudy or something, crap I can't think of the right word."

If this was a different situation Dean would have loved to have cracked a return jab about Sam's vocabulary…but as it wasn't Dean settled for clenching his jaw and going back to repeated the women's conversation.

"Can't tell now a-days…yeah, things are different… Tell your father…He won't……Wear your old one." Dean paused when he realized what he had just repeated. He looked up at Sam, who was now staring at Dean instead of inside.

Sam mouthed the word _father_ to Dean, who nodded in return.

Dean and Sam made it back to the car. Shortly after dropping the 'f' word, the two women had gone upstairs, ending the brother's James Bond impersonations.

They sat in the car. The engine not yet turned on.

"So." Sam said twirling a gun in his lap.

"So" Dean repeated tapping his fingers on the steering wheel.

"Is it safe to say that the other woman was Rachel?"

"Possible."

"And that she wasn't dead or zombie like? And was being social?"

"Appears to be."

"And that when they said 'father' they were referring to Louis?" Sam said, as he leaned closer to Dean, trying to get some more involved responses. It worked.

"Well, isn't this just a special kind of shit! If that was Rachel and she died 23 years ago, then what the hell is she! And where have she and Louis been hiding all these years?" Dean flared, pushing himself back hard against the seat.

"Maybe we should call this off? Till we know more?"

"Yeah may-" Dean phone rang. "It's Eileen." Dean said as he read the display screen, he eyed Sam as he answered. "Hello?...Hi Eileen…yeah about that…My partner Peter is being a baby and doesn't want to be alone tonight, and you know stuck playing cards with some old chicks. Soooo maybe I can take a rain check on….no…NO! I'm not chicken!"

Sam rolled his eyes as he listen to the one sided conversation. If Eileen was taunting Dean then this was not going to go well. And then Sam's eyes bugged out when he heard what Dean said next.

"Oh you are so going to regret that….. I'll bring Peter. We'll see who's afraid of the dark missy. Be there in 20!" Dean hung up. "Thinks I'm chicken does she!" Dean grumbled under his breath, glaring evilly at the phone.

Sam was about to smack his forehead in disbelieve, _'I can't believe how bull headed Dean is.' _But instead he decided to smack Dean. smack

"Oww. What? …oh…cough" Dean looked sheepishly ahead of them. "So, ummm we've got 20 minutes to come up with a plan."

25 minutes later they pulled into the Creed's driveway. The head lights illuminated Eileen, who was sitting on the front porch. She waved to them and bounded down the steps to the car. Sam had to elbow Dean twice to get him to stop humming 'the cat came back'

"Jack, still feeling brave? Cause I'll understand if you're getting cold feet. I've got an old blankie inside if you need it?" Eileen teased cutely. At least it would have been cute if not for what the brothers knew. "I'm glad you're coming too Peter."

"Well, someone has to hold Jack's hand." Sam said, trying to make a genuine laugh.

Dean and Sam pulled out the packs holding their weapons and swung them onto their backs.

"That's a lot of stuff for a hike guys."

"My Dad taught me to always be prepared." Dean said, he was determined not to be wooed by her cute act this time. _'It's all business now, Cute Psycho chick.'_

"It's mostly our survey equipment. Night radar and the like. The burial grounds could help the Micmac's land claim." Sam added. Eileen seemed to accept that at face value.

All Eileen had with her was a flash light, and a can of bug spray. Which she shared with them. Sam had accepting despite Dean's negative glare. _'I don't think she's planning on taking us down with bug spray.' _Sam rationalized in his mind Once bug-proofed, they started across the lawn to the path and towards the Pet Sematary.

'_Eileen's excitement must be contagious.' _Sam thought. As they entered the Pet Sematary Sam was starting to lose the feeling of apprehension he had started with. He tired reminding himself of Victor Pascow, to try to sober himself. But those thoughts weren't holding._' It must be the place. It doesn't want us on guard.' _That thought DID help. He looked over at Dean, who looked thoughtful too. Dean was keeping himself between Eileen and Sam. But Dean's hand wasn't hovering over the hidden salt rock gun tucked under his belt like it usually did. _'Not a good sign.'_ Sam thought.

"Hey Jack, is your pack getting heavy yet?" Sam asked., hoping that mentioning the pack stuffed with weapons would get Dean back on focus. Dean blinked, and then nodded. His hand returned to hovering over the concealed weapon.

"Now, we go over the deadfall." Eileen instructed.

"Over it? No way. It can't support our weight." Dean objected. He pulled a branch from it to prove his point.

"It can. No worries. Just step surely and don't look down." Eileen didn't wait for any more complaints, she started climbing up and was over the top in mere moments. "You boys coming?" She called from the over side. Sam looked skeptically over at Dean. Then Eileen's voice came again ever so discreetly calling them chicken. "Bawk bawk".

Dean's eyes flared. "Ohh you are soo going to get it Ellie." It sounded more serious then playful to Sam. But Eileen giggled from the other side.

"Can't get me from over there Jackie."

Dean tighten the straps on his pack, and mumble "Hey-ho, let's go." under his breath as he stepped on to the deadfall. Sam rolled his eyes. _'Damn she knows how to push Dean's buttons. It's not like Dean to get this distracted on a hunt…and this is a hunt…a hunt with an unknown target and any number of unknown variables. And what the hell had Dean just mumbled?'_

Dean climbed down the other side where Eileen was leaning against a tree. She had a wide grin on her face. "See, I told you it wasn't a hard climb."

"Guess not." Dean said looking back at the deadfall. When Eileen had been climbing Dean had remember the brief moment when he was here yesterday, and the deadfall had looked like bleached bones. The memory didn't exactly spur him on. But her mockery did, and something more. A little voice in his head, it sounded like his on. It said _Hey-ho, let's go_. And Dean found he couldn't argue it. '_Damn I should be more in control. This is a hunt for fuck sakes. I feel light headed or something. I can't risk this, not with Sammy around. Get with it Dean, "ZOMBIES ZOMBIES ZOMBIES" ' _Dean chanted over and over in his mind trying to maintain the air of danger and caution, but it made it feel more like a bad B-movie. Dean was distracted again as Sam's head popped up at the top of the deadfall, he stopped while straddling the top and then he seemed to focus on something below on the other side. '_The safe side_.'

Sam pulled one leg over the deadfall. crack The sound came from below him in the Pet Sematary. Sam risked a look down. Staring up at him, almost pressed up against the deadfall was Victor. His head was still cracked open, and the blood was still caked on. He was just staring up at Sam. Sam tightened his grip on the top. Victor shook his head. His eyes looked pleading. He kept shaking his head. _'Oh crap. Oh crap.' _Sam hissed in his mind_. 'Victors warning me again. Warning me not to go over. But Dean's already down there.'_

"Peter? You stuck." Dean called up, there was worry in his tone. Sam looked down at Dean, and saw his brother's concerned expression, and Eileen whos head tilted to an angle staring up at him.

Sam looked back down at Victor. But Victor had moved. He was now standing at the exit, on the path out of the Pet Sematary. His back was facing in. He turned his head to look back at Sam, who was still preached on the top of the deadfall. His eyes weren't pleading anymore. They looked sorrowful, defeated. Victor turned his head away and started walking out. Sam sighed and climbed down the deadfall, '_To Dean and Eileen and god only knows what else_'. In the contest between Sam's warning signals blearing and Dean's concerned expression…well, Dean had won.

"Yeah, a branch snagged me." Sam explained as he climb down and stood beside Dean.

"Yeah, those branches can be a real bitch sometimes." Eileen said, smiling. "We've got a heck of a hike ahead. So let's get this show on the road." She started walking a little ahead of them, and Sam noticed that there was a skip in her step.

Dean pulled back to walk at pace with Sam. He leaned over and whispered. "What was that back there?"

"Victor."

"A warning?"

"Yeah."

"The dude was crappie timing. I was already over."

"Yeah, about that, are you thinking okay? You went over pretty fast. I was feeling a little fuzzy back there."

"Yeah. Must be the creature's method of luring people in."

"And how are we going to resist it."

"I find that chanting 'zombies' in my head is effective."

Sam humped. "The advice from a master."

Dean nodded with a grin, then they increased their pace to stay closer to Eileen. It didn't take long before they where coming up to a swamp.

"Dudes, this place reeks." Dean said, breaking the silence.

"It's a swamp Jack." Sam countered.

Eileen stopped and turned around to face them. "Got some tips when going through this swamp. You may see some lights, fireflies you know, maybe even something like St. Elmo's fire."

"St. Elmo's fire? In a swamp?" Sam said skeptically.

"Yeah, luminous electrical discharges or something like that…swamp gas, blah blah. Just so you're not startled." Eileen answered with a shrug.

Dean gave Sam a backward look. _'I can think of some other things that give off light…spirits.'_

Sam nodded as he picked up on Dean's thoughts.

"Also, you may hear some pretty weird noises. Like screaming. But it's only the sound of the loons, down south, in Prospect. The sound carries. It's funny."

'_Oh that's it, we're fucked. That's what Steve Masterton had said. Word for word.'_ Sam groaned in his mind. He watched Dean place his hand on the concealed gun as Eileen spoke. So Sam did the same.

And as they moved forward into the swamp they could here it.

'_Ducks my ass.' _Dean grumbled.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Stephen King and Warner brothers are the only geniuses here. I only hope that my misadventures using their characters and themes do not offend them. I am merely a poor student, who will remain poor. Everyone should read "Pet Sematary", it's a fantastic/terrifying book!

The initial screaming that greeted them upon entering the swamp had faded. But it didn't feel like it was gone, just like it was waiting. Eileen had said it was sounds carrying from a distance, just some loons. And every few minutes there'd be a crack or some squishy swamp sound somewhere off in the distance.

Dean was realizing what a bad idea this was. _'For one, swamps reek! No way am I going to smell ozone or monster funk over this. Two, I've slipped twice on these damn moss covered mounds sticking out of the swamp…and if I fall into that shit I'll freak! And three, we are a good 2 maybe 21/2 miles from the Pet Sematary, way deep into the turf of whatevers here, and I hate giving home field advantage…oops, home swamp advan-' _slip-splash Dean's left foot sank into the swamp waters… _'MY BOOT! God damn swamp monster I'm going to kill you!' _

"You okay there, Jack?" Sam asked from behind. "The ground fog is so opaque I can't see the tussocks either." Sam said. The light from the moon up ahead shone down onto the swamp. There was a ground fog covering the swamp like a thick white blanket, the moon light seemed to bounce off it and give the area a soft blue glow.

"Isn't it great?" Eileen sounded enthusiastic, "The Micmac's used to call it Little God Swamp. But it's always felt big to me."

"Yeah? When did you first come this way, Ellie?" Dean balanced himself again and continued on, grimacing at the wet squishy feeling in his left boot.

"Well that depends on what you mean? The first time I was here, or the first time I came here?"

'_Ah crap, now she's getting all 'riddle me this Batman' ' _"There's a difference?" Dean asked.

Eileen turned her head just enough so she could see them behind her. Yet was able to continue walking without problem, not even testing the area ahead of her for a tussock. "Do you believe in the unbelievable?"

"Seeing is believing." Dean repeated his earlier words. And really, it was true. It was just that Dean had seen a lot of shit.

"Why? What do you believe, Eileen?" Sam interrupted recognizing Dean's challenging tone. _'Dean's acting more edgy then normal since getting over the deadfall. I don't know if that's any better then being lulled.' _

Dean's words seemed to jinx them. The screaming had come back. It started off in the distance far to the left of them. But then started getting closer, till it felt like it was screaming into their ears. Both Dean and Sam stopped and grimaced at the volume. Eileen stopped also, but she didn't make an indication that the screaming was bothering her. Hell, she just smiled.

THUD Came from the right, not far, and it sounded big

"Ah fuck this!" Dean yelled and pulled his rock salt gun out, aiming in the direction of the sound.

Sam pulled out his gun in response, but kept it pointing up, his eyes locked on Eileen. But she was staring out into the swamp. The screaming was changing now, it was still hanging in the air, but it was more like a sobbing. She seemed to be thinking, interpreting the situation. But she didn't show any signs of distress.

"This isn't a hunting trip. Let's keep moving." She said and turned back around. "It's not much further."

"To hell we are! You stay right there! Sam, get out the fireworks." _'To hell with the disguises. 10 bucks says something big that can conceal itself so well in a swamp is a Wendigo!'_

"Sam?" Eileen turned her head around. She raised her eyebrow. "Guess you look more like a Sam then a Peter."

'_Well, this has unraveled real nice.' _Sam thought, as he pulled out the flare gun, loaded with homemade flammable fun."Dean, we need to get on dry ground. We can't fight on here." Sam grabbed Dean's elbow, trying not to interfere with his aim.

Then they saw it. The shape of it anyway. It was coming between the hanging trees. The shape was huge, the outline was human-ish. It towered above them, even from a distance it looked at least 13 maybe 14 feet tall. It has hard to tell because it was bent over, as if it had a hunch back. Its arms where stick like and disappeared into the fog before Sam could see the ends of them. It seemed to fill all the space in Sam's sight.

"Dean, that's not a Wendigo! It's more then twice the size! Let's move!" But Dean stayed firm, well, as firm as he could on the slippery surface. It seemed to turn towards them.

"Shit!" Dean took aim and fired. If it did any damage the only indication was that 'It' stopped. It didn't reel back, or cry out. It just stopped. The sobbing stopped too. Now there was silence. Until Dean grabbed the flare gun from Sam, cocked it and fired again. It still didn't move. The light from the burst as it hit the '_Swamp Thing'_ didn't even help illuminate It. It was like It absorbed the light burst.

cough The sound of Eileen clearing her throat caused them both to turned their head's towards her. "We really should keep moving…..Dean."

Dean didn't even bother telling her 'where she could go' as he turned back to his self titled _'Swamp Thing'_. But it was gone. _'That bitch! She helped it get away! GAHH How stupid am I! '_ He continued berated himself for the distraction. '_I am that off my game?_'

"Get out some steel, Sam." Dean pulled out an axe. And then turned to Eileen. "I'm disappointed Ellie. I was hoping for a nice sane girl this time." She just laughed at them.

"Me? I'm not the one with a fake name, and a weapon arsenal. Are you two actually land surveyors?"

"Sure we are." Dean said flashing a grin.

'_This is only going to get worse, I feel it. But I don't think that turning around will help us. No no-I have to put our lives ahead of my freak' in curiosity.' _Sam argued himself in his mind. "Eileen," Sam came in, trying to sound as clam as possibly, "No one has to get hurt here. We can all go back. Act like this never happened."

"To hell with that Sam!" Dean jumped a few tussocks forward to get between Sam and Eileen. _'Damn hopping around don't improve my intimidation. _"I want to know what that was? Now!"

Eileen only smiled and turned quickly, dashing ahead of them on the tussocks, far faster then either of them could manage. Dean attempted to grab her, but he slipped, and this time both feet went into the swamp.

Dean's facial expression and guttural response to his fall reminded Sam of Side-Show Bob on the Simpson's, when he had kept waking onto rakes that whacked him in the head. Sam reached over and looped an arm under Deans. Helping him pull himself out of the water. He was mud covered from the keens down. "Dean," Sam whispered in his ear, "We need to get out of here."

"How can you leave when you saw that thing out there? It's dangerous! What about people that come through hear after us, huh? We can't just leave a case open! Dad wouldn't-"

"Dad isn't here. I wish he was too Dean. But he's not. And I don't want to get close enough to something that big to try swords and axes!"

"We're not leaving till we bag that thing. We nail it and It won't be luring people here anymore. End of little zombie people burning down things. Swamp Thing just proved my theory; that must be the creature pulling the strings."

"Dean! The only thing It proved was that it's big and strong and fast."

"Little zombie people?" Eileen's voice broke out. She was more then 15 meters away, but her voice carried clearly other to them.

Both brothers cursed themselves for letting Eileen's presence slip. _'Damn this place really has taken a chunk out of my senses. Sam's too...''_

"You know," Dean said walking determinedly over to Eileen, not noticing how he didn't slip once, despite the slime on his boots, not noticing how he wasn't even trying to find the tussocks through the thick ground fog, they just happened to be where his foot landed. "For a chick that just saw a guy firing guns at some huge ass creature –a creature you won't be seeing on the discovery channel- you're awfully clam! What was that? And what is It's connection to the burial ground? You know, don't you?" Dean stopped not a foot from Eileen. But he wasn't pointing a gun at her, just yet.

"I already told you about that."

"Bullshit, we've seen Wendigo's before. And that –" Dean waved his gun holding hand in the direction the creature had been for emphasis "- that was not a Wendigo."

"And you two are experts?"

"Look, we need to not be standing in a swamp arguing." Sam cut in.

After much resistance Sam got Dean moving. And Eileen was all too happy to bring them out of the swamp…though not back to the Pet Sematary. Once back on sold ground, Sam found a log to sit on and pulled out their Dad's journal. They had gone over the sections on Wendigo's thoroughly. But Eileen was insistent on that thing being one.

The air seemed to be crackling with energy around them. And the pull to keep moving forward was reasserting itself. Sam could feel his curiosity tugging at him. '_But is it my curiosity or that place's effect? That creature definitely wasn't emitting a lulling vibe! Damn there are still too many variables._' His mind kept filling with thoughts, '_Maybe the answers to our questions are at the burial ground._' Sam may not be a born hunter of the paranormal. But he was man who liked knowledge. One thing was certain, '_There's no way it's going to lure Dean or I into dropping our guard.' _Sam looked up at Dean, who was standing particular on top of him. Dean had an axe in one hand, and the flare gun in the other. His eyes where rotating between glaring down Eileen and watching for the creature to make a comeback. Nothing pissed Dean off more then being bested by something. For Dean, innocence once lost was lost forever, even for a hot chick like Eileen. Dean wasn't understanding when it came to business.

"Anything?" Dean asked Sam, without looking down.

"Aside from that creature being moderately humanoid in shape…nothing. The size is wrong. The flare gun didn't hurt it. I can't imagine a human turning into something that huge, that powerful. If 'It' is a Wendigo, then it's a totally different kind."

"Or it's older then what you've seen." Eileen piped in.

Sam stood up fast, his mind putting it together, drawing comparisons. He turned to Dean. "Dean, what if it is really old? A huge creature that turns a man into a cannibal by touching him, and is incredible strong. And the Wendigo's we know of are men that turned to cannibalism and became creatures similar in shape but half the size and strength. Could that thing out there…could it be the first? The original Wendigo?"

"The first Wendigo? Dude, that's messed up." _'Damn it. The older they are, the more of a bitch they are to kill!_'

"Why not? We know there was a first vampire, first werewolf. Why not that thing out there being the first Wendigo?" Sam turned to Eileen, "Do you know anything about its nature Eileen?"

Eileen just shrugged. "No."

"Has it ever attacked you? Or anyone you where with?" Sam asked Eileen.

"No, but I've seen it several times. I've just kept going. And we should keep going. We're not 15 minutes from the burial ground now. Plus, the bug spray only lasts so long you know."

Dean walked up to Eileen, and tapped her shoulder lightly with the axe handle. "You are some kind of freaky Elly. If you try anything-try to attack me or my brother-or communicate with Wendigo Sr. out there- you and this axe will get acquainted."

"That's no way to talk to a lady. Where's all your smooth talk now? I bring you on a hike at your own request and you threaten me?" Eileen said, not showing any fear or intimidation in the least.

"Hello! You lead us into a swamp where you knew a huge monster lives! What part of that doesn't scream psycho to you?" Dean could feel his angry bubbling up, it had started after they crossed over the deadfall. Before crossing he felt drawn in, pulled by an overzealous and what he now realized uncharacteristic curiosity. _'Can't believe I'm grateful for a ghost making an appearance! But Pascow did wonders for reminding me where we where going. About the risks, I can't get suckered in with Sam here. Gahhh! Maybe Jud can show up and help me calm down!'_

"I suppose you've made a valid point. From your perspective that is. And not a very well informed one."

"Alright, let's share some information then." _'That's right Elly, insult the already pissed off person holding an axe.' _"Let's talk about your bro-"

"-Let's get to the burial ground first, Dean. Maybe it will have some answers. We shouldn't be staying still, the Wendigo or swamp monster." Sam gave Dean a sharp looked, hoping that his interruption would keep Dean from such a risky move. He mental patted himself on the back for the quick interference when Dean nodded, and put some distance between himself and Eileen. '_Dean's getting too angry, he almost threw all our information on the table. We don't know what Eileen would do if we mentioned her 'alive again dead again' Brother Gage. I just wish I could think of something better then going to the burial ground. But it seems to make sense. If it's the place where everything is starting, then we need to investigate it. God I hope this is my own idea. What do you do when you doubt the source of your own thoughts?'_

"Excuse us, sweetheart." Dean mocked. He grabbed Sam's shoulder and directed them both a short distance from Eileen. In a quite voice Dean raised his concerns. "I'm getting mixed messages here Sammy, first you want us to get out of here, now you want to go to the burial ground?"

"Yeah, well, I'm confusing myself more."

"If you think you may be under the influence, then we should get you out of here. I'll come back for the Swamp Thing."

"By yourself! And what about you? You were waving an axe at Eileen!"

"So?"

"SO! You can't kill someone Dean. Even if she turns out to be psycho. If it's trying to lure me in, then it's making you angry and impulsive!"

Dean pulled back and rubbed his jaw as he considered things. '_Okay, mild anger may be a concern. But aren't I justified being angry? Threatening people is a good way to get some cooperation.'_

"Dean?"

"Alright, alright. I'll take some deep claming breaths, and you turn on the logic light bulb."

Crack the sound echoed all around them. But there was nothing in sight, yet.

Eileen started walking. "I'm going on guys. I strongly recommend coming with." She didn't turn to them as she spoke.

Dean and Sam exchanged looks. Weapons in hand Dean gestured for them to start walking. "Hey-ho, let's go."

"That's the second time you've said that."

"Is it? Damn. We're going to need therapy after this one."

Sam was more then a little disturbed that once they were moving again there were no signs of Wendigo Sr. "It's like it's herding us. Keeping us moving along." Sam whispered to Dean.

"Great."

Eileen stopped ahead of them. When they caught up they where looking up at an uphill slope. Through the pale moon light they could just barely make out steps. Steps that seemed to have been carved into the hill side.

"It's just up there? A burial ground on a hill?" Sam looked up the steps. The topped seemed like a horizon, the stars peaked behind it. Their twinkle was alluring.

Dean noticed Sam's dazed look. _'Damn this place is doing a number on him. I'm going to enjoy offing Swamp Thing!' _

Eileen grabbed one of Sam's hands. "Come on. It gets better." Sam dislodged his hand from hers, but started following her up, the air got a little heavier with each step, but it wasn't unpleasant. _'This place has power. Dad would freak at a site emitting a vibe like this! How old most this place be?_' Sam mentally counted 45 steps till he stood on the summit. The sight took his breath away. The hill was flat on the top, very uncharacteristic of New England hills. And it seemed to stretch forward, like a tongue sticking out from the forest. Only the oldest trees peaked above them. There were many dark shapes low to the ground. As Sam followed Eileen further along the plateau he recognized the shapes, they were cairns, grave markers.

Eileen noticed Sam's wide eyed expressions, "This was their burial ground, like I told you. Awe-inspiring isn't it?"

Sam only nodded; _'Did the MicMac's flatten this hill top themselves? Amazing! It feels so empty, but the kind of emptiness that vibrates. This is the source of the lulling vibe. It's independent of the Wendigo._' Sam looked up at the clear sky, the wind blew strong and loudly in his ears, but it was clean. "I win this one Dean." Sam turned to face the argument Dean would put forward, knowing that Dean would still be convinced that the Wendigo was the source. _'Maybe the Wendigo tainted it, but it's more than that now.' _But when he turned around Dean wasn't behind him. Sam spun around, getting a 360 view of the place. He and Eileen where the only ones on the burial ground. Sam could feel the emerging sense of dread fighting back the lulling vibe. He remembering assuring himself not 15 minutes ago that_ 'There's no way it's going to lure Dean or I into dropping our guard.' _Sam tightened his lose grip on the sword Dean had told him to pull out earlier.

"DEAN!"

Dean eyed Eileen when she grabbed Sam's free hand. "Come on. It gets better." And smiled in satisfaction when Sam dislodged his hand from hers. _'Aren't getting the better of us again sweetheart.' _Then Dean caught movement to the right of them. It came from behind. He knew instantly that it wasn't Wendigo Sr.; his swamp monster. The trees there where thin, no where near wide enough to hide something that size. Even his own broad shoulders would stick out. But the law of Winchester probability told him that it wasn't a friendly woodland creature either. He pointed the gun towards the trees.

"Sam, something's coming." Dean brow frowned when Sam didn't respond. "Sam, to the right!" Dean didn't like tearing his eyes away from a potential spook, not after the last time. But when Sam wasn't responding or showing up beside him he had no choice. He was greeted with the sight of the empty stairs. Neither Sam nor Eileen was there. Alarm rose up in his throat like bile. "SAM!" he yelled. But he got no response. _'Sam wouldn't go up without me! gahhh unless he was lured by that thing. Great job Captain Wow._'

The hairs on the back of his neck rose. And Dean whipped back around to the right. He stopped when the side of his outstretched gun slammed against the neck of a man standing less then 3 feet from him. Dean stared numbly at the man before him. He was old looking. And not just with age. He looked to be in his 50's, his hair was stark white, and glowed with a pale blue from the moon. But his eyes made him look so much older. The man's head was tiled slightly to the left from the impact of Dean's gun hitting his neck. Two of Dean's knuckles were touching the skin of his neck. It felt like sandpaper. _'MOVE.'_ Dean yelled at himself. But he couldn't pull himself away, couldn't pull back to aim his gun in defense because his eyes were glued onto the man's eyes.

"Hey-Ho, let's go." The man said.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Stephen King and Warner brothers are the only geniuses here. I only hope that my misadventures using their characters and themes do not offend them. I am merely a poor student, who will remain poor.

Boy, this took awhile to post…school was kicking my butt for a couple months

Eileen watched Sam race to the steps. Holding his sword up as he called for his brother. He didn't even pause as he disappeared below her sight. Eileen rubbed her forehead in exasperation. "Men."

Sam ran down the steps, taking 5 steps at a time. "Dean!" '_God, how could I be so stupid! We're supposed to have each other's backs.'_ He was breathing heave when he reached the bottom. It took all of half a second to realize that Dean wasn't there, he wasn't anywhere in sight. "Dean!" No response. Sam hazarded a look down, afraid he'd find a pool of Dean's blood. What he saw was almost worst. The ground soil was disturbed; the flare gun was half buried under the tossed dirt. And the axe his brother had been wielding was there too. Sam picked it up, and found that it was clean. _'Dean must not have gotten the chance to take a swing.' _Forcing down the useless waves of panic Sam scanned the ground for a trail. He found a faint one moving to his right towards the thick forest growth. Packing his brothers disregarded weapons, Sam moved cautiously ahead. He all but growled when he got past the first row of trees… the ground got stonier, firmer. The tracks weren't visible in the poor near non-existent light. _'Don't panic, panic won't help Dean. I haven't found Dean's pack. He may still have it on him. He's got weapons…he's a pro…he's…God where is he?'_

"Sam?" Eileen's voice was behind him.

Sam round on Eileen, "Where is he?"

"I was up on the plateau with you remember? Try his cell."

Sam glared at her as he pulled out his cell. The reception was static, and of course it rang through to his voice mail. Sam strainghed his hearing hoping maybe he'd hear the ring tune somewhere not far. Nothing. Some crickets, wind whistling through trees, no ring tunes. Sam felt like pulling his hair out. _'Not again. Grabbed twice by a Wendigo in one year! What are the chances? Seriously!'_ He looked down at Eileen, she was probably the last person he should be standing here with, but she was there, and he suddenly did not want to be alone. "Are there any caves in this region? Old mines even?" She looked thoughtful for a moment, then shook her head.

"What are you thinking?" She asked softly.

"I'm thinking I should have spent more time looking at those land maps." Sam replied sarcastically.

"There at my house still. We can go get them."

Sam wanted to bang his head into something. _'My best chances of finding a place where Dean may have been brought too are with those old maps. But that's assuming that we're dealing with a Wendigo that follows those same patterns. This was probably some plan, to separate us. Going back to the house could doom Dean. Hell, it could be a trap for me too. But I could wonder these woods all night and find nothing, just get myself more lost. Then I'll be no help to Dean.' _ Biting his lip, Sam weighed his options. "Alright, let's go."

Sam noted that too Eileen's credit she kept her bubbly joy simmered down. The walk back through the swamp was brisk and uneventful. The ground mist had miraculously cleared. The place seemed totally 'normal'. And god it made him angry_. 'It has what it wanted, no need for anymore dramatics.'_

Sam was so deep in worry that he blinked in surprise when he felt the change in ground texture, the well meowed lawn that the kids took good care of was beneath him. And looking ahead he saw Eileen's house. The front porch light was on, waiting. And then his eyes fell on Dean's car, parked where they had left it. '_Before everything went to hell.'_ He left Eileen in his dust as he ran to the car, hoping that maybe Dean had gotten away and made it here. He let another wave of guilt and angry sweep over him when he found the car was empty and untouched. Eileen whisked by him and up the porch. She waved him in as she entered.

Taking Dean's axe in one hand and a salt rock gun in the other, Sam followed her in.

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Dean lay on the ground staring up at the sky between the trees. He had been laying there eyeing that piece of sky for what felt like forever. It wasn't his inner astronomer coming out. He simply couldn't move. He could rotate his eyes, but that was about it. So he lay there, worrying about Sam. And waiting for Louis to make an appearance, or as Dean had named him 'Happy Needle Man'.

When Dean had turned around to find himself face to face with the man, the air had hardened in his lounges. He hadn't seen him coming, literal and figuratively. Dean wasn't sure if it was the man's eyes that paralyzed him, the eyes of mad man. Or if it was hearing the words he'd been chiming in his head since this whole thing started said back to him. And in those few seconds Dean didn't see the needle in Louis' left hand. Didn't even see it rise up, aiming for his neck. I was when he felt it that he knew he was screwed. '_Trust a mad-cap ex doctor to have some fast acting paralyzing shit on him._' And being carried in the fireman positions wasn't fun. Having to listen to Louis' monolog was frustrating. The man would start rambling about then change topic mid sentence. Dean wasn't sure how long the old man managed to carry him, or how far they had gotten. Or for that matter where he had gone to afterwards. Dean just hoped that he hadn't gone for Sam.

Dean rolled his eyes to the side, so he could just barely see the finger tips on his right hand. He glared at them, trying to will them to move 15 minutes later, all Dean had accomplished was giving himself a headache. _'Hey-ho, this blows.' _

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Sam followed Eileen into the kitchen. He watched her disappear into another room then reappear with the maps from the other day. Sam wasted no time rolling them out onto the table, looking through the legends. He was ripping through them, getting more and more frustrated when he wasn't finding anything. He slammed a fist on the table. Brining his forehead down to touch the laminated surface. "Why can't I have a vision now? Why can't I work it to my advantage, just once." Sam whispered.

"You have visions?" Eileen asked coming over, she placed a cup of tea on the table in front of Sam. But Sam just eyed it wearily. Eileen sighed, "I'm not out to get you Sam."

"That has yet to be proven."

Eileen sat down, "What do you have visions about?" When Sam didn't answer her she continued. "I have visions sometimes. About family, places, pause things."

"Do you know where my brother is? I need to find him. God I wish we never came here!"

"Why did you come here then? I know it wasn't for any land claims."

Sam looked back down at the maps. _'This has to be our worst case ever.' _"We came here investigating a store we heard. My brother and I , we…we study the supernatural."

Eileen smiled softly at Sam. "When I was younger, when I first lived here, I had a cat, Church. He died while I was with my Mom and brother visiting in Chicago. I didn't know at the time that he had. When I came home he was here. But he was different. A little girl can only pick out so much. But he was slower, lacked the graceful art that he once had. Sometimes he'd bring in dead birds or rats. Smelled a little nasty too." Eileen wrinkled her nose at the memory. "But he was still Church, just a little off."

Sam ingested the story. "Your cat died? Then came back?"

"Yup, just like the song." Sam flinched at the mention of the song Dean had been singing. _'God, Dean.'_

"How did he come back?" Sam chewed his lip as he watched Eileen fidget in her seat.

"Louis buried him at the Micmac burial grounds in the woods." Sam blinked when Eileen's month didn't move as he heard the words. It clicked a second later, that the voice was different, not by much through. And it came from behind him. Sam whirled around to face the woman he had seen earlier that night while spying. The woman he believed was Rachel. A dead woman.

Sam reared back, hitting the table and causing it to move several inches. He pulled out the gun and aimed it at Rachel. _'No normal person had eyes like that'_, he reassured himself. He found he still couldn't put a name to the cloudy glaze of her eyes. But he felt pinned under them. Suddenly Eileen was standing in front of Sam, blocking his view of Rachel.

"Put the gun down Sam. She's my mother."

"Yeah, that's why I'm pointing the gun." The air sparked around them. Sam wasn't about to back down. A wrinkled hand appeared on Eileen's shouldered. Rachel pushed Eileen to the side and step closer to Sam.

"And why does that entitled you to threaten me?" Sam struggled with a response, '_Zombies aren't social.' _He repeated in his head.

"Because you died 22 years ago."

Rachel laughed freely at him. But it came out rough. "I did, but I'm not anymore. Why are you pointing the gun at me? Because I died? Does that make me evil?"

"It's all in the timing. You need to burial someone before decay can twist them." Eileen said as she sat back down.

Sam quaked at them, he couldn't believe what he was hearing. _'This can't get any worse, may as well lay it out.'_ "What about Gage?"

Rachel's expressions saddened, and Eileen fiddled with the table edge. The silence was dragging. Rachel was the one to break it. "Where did you hear about my son?" Her tone was striaghed. Sam didn't answer, he didn't want to bring anything down on Steve. Eileen piped up.

"Mr. Masterton hasn't been sleeping well lately, he needed to talk." Eileen said quietly. Sam blinked _'Steve said he didn't know Eileen anymore. Was he lying?'_ As if Eileen had picked up on his thoughts she continued, and looked up at her mother, "Pascow told me the other night."

Sam felt the world spin in front of him_. 'Pascow told her! Pascow! Oh god she talks to ghosts too. But Pascow was telling me to leave, and Eileen was excited to bring us. I have to find Dean and get out of here. This makes no sense!'_

Rachel picked up after Elly. "It was so sudden. We where all a mess after. Only Louis knew about the burial ground, about the potential. It wasn't till days after that Louis brought him up there. My poor little guy. He didn't mean any of it."

"Didn't mean what?"

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Dean knew he should be feeling scared, terrified even. He was god knows where in the woods. Drugged and carried around by a mad man who had a history of burying dead people for zombie-fication. He was intensely worried about Sam. Mildly concerned about the bugs crawling over his still paralyzed form. But amidst all that-he was getting bored.

After what felt like another decade he heard footsteps coming towards him_. 'Sam? God please be Sam.' _Louis appeared over him, holding a latern._'Crap._' Dean watched as Louis disappeared from his view again. He heard some shuffling, a couple clicks and then Louis was back in his sights. Only this time he was keening over Dean. Louis didn't even make eye contact with Dean as he relieved a needle in one hand and a bottle of some clear liquid in another. He made sure Dean had a good view of him filling the needle.

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Sam followed Rachel and Eileen as they recounted their sad history. In the telling Sam was barely paying attention to their movements. Not even noticing the big rigs on the road as Rachel brought them across it. To the house that was once Juds. They stood on the porch of the repaired home that was rented out regularly, a sign on the lawn saying "The simple life Cottage. Come and experience calm". '_What a joke'_ Sam thought.

"It was several days after my baby died that Louis brought him to the Micmac burial grounds. Eileen and I had gone to my parents; Louis was going to meet up with us. When my baby came back, he was still Gage, but a little…anomalous. But it wasn't his fault. He had been gone too long."

Sam swallowed hard. "How did you end up back here? How did you die?"

"I had dreams of Pascow, he was a man who died with my Dad trying to save him, he had been hit by a car. He came to me. To get my mother to come home and help my Dad." Eileen said.

"So I did." Rachel picked up after Eileen, not missing a beat. "When I came back Gage was being attacked by Jud, the old man was furious that Louis had disobeyed him and brought back a person. Jud had brought Louis there when Church had died. He had started it all. Quite the hypocrite. Gage was only a little slow, not evil. Jud killed him, just as I arrived here. I tried to save my baby, but Jud wouldn't have it. Things got ugly. Jud killed me, Louis killed him. Then set the place on fire to protect what was left of his family. What he could salvage. When I came back, it was hard after everything that had happened. Louis wasn't okay for a long time. It was best to have Eileen stay with my parents. So we waited."

"As you can see my mom isn't not a zombie. I hope you won't try shooting her again."

"I can't believe this, I mean-" Sam could hardly take it in. '_Jud, the ghost Dean had talked to was the cause of all this? But he told Dean to get away?'_

"If you study the supernatural I'm sure you've seen a lot of unbelievable things Sam."

"Yeah, we-" Sam's throat dried up as he realized the story had completed distracted him. _'Oh my god, I'm the monster here…DEAN!_' "-Dean! My brother. I can't do this right now! I have to find him."

"He'll be coming to you, boy." A thick accented voice came from behind.

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Dean mentally grimaced as Louis inserted the needle into his neck.

"Elly saw you boys coming from a mile away. Well, if we're being literally it was several hundred miles away. Pascow keeps trying, I don't know why."

Dean felt a tingling sensation in his limbs. _'Either very good, or very not.'_

"The Wendigo's coming. But I'm a fair man. You'll be able to move in a couple minutes. The house is that way." Louis pointed past Dean's head as he began packing the used syringe in an old medical bag. A series of thuds came out of the woods. Louis merely turned in their direction, humped then resumed packing. Dean felt sweat drip down his forehead as he listened to the approaching steps, his limbs where still numb. _'One moment Swamp Thing, I'm not ready yet.' _

It came out of the woods then, and advanced towards them. For a creature of its size it was horrifyingly graceful in its steps. It straddle Dean's torso then lowered its head down with a foot of Dean's. Then sight of a 14 foot monster bend like a horse shoe above him was terrifying. _'Oh god, please don't touch me'_ Dean chanted in his head, becoming a cannabile was not on his list of things to do. The face of it was mangled, like it had gotten caught in babared wire. The eyes where black, no pupils, no iris, just two solid black balls. Dean flinched when he saw his reflection in one and the lantern light in the other. As if offended by the light; It swiped a hand out and knocked it over, Dean heard Louis grumble and man's footsteps leaving.

It's black eyes started moving like tar bubbling. Dean started to feel the ground under him. Feeling in his arms returned, but he didn't dare move them, if he did he'd touch it. The bubbling gave way to stirring. And blots of colour began mixing. White, then green, the black moved to the center. Dean stared up at eyes that matched his own hazels ones exactly. He pulled past the drug and found the means to scream.

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Sam whipped around looking for the source of the new voice. Eileen and Rachel appeared to be doing the Sam. _'Of course we woke up whoever was staying here now, stupid_.'

But there was no one there. The house was dark. Sam watched Eileen's eye fall on the window, and her back straighten like a cat on alert. There in the glass, not behind it, but in the glass of the window was an old man. It reminded Sam of the ghost Dean had told him about, and hell, it was his house-

"Jud." Eileen's voice sounded crisp and cold.

"Get out of here boy. Get back across that road, and mind the trucks. Don't think they brought you here for memory sake, they have a purpose."

"Who are you to talk Jud? You _brought_ this upon everyone!" Sam watched the exchange between Eileen and Jud. He was almost sure Jud finiched at the accusation.

"And I'm sorry about that Elly. More then you'll ever know. But it has to stop. You can't keep-"

"You've done no less in your time-" Eileen cut him off.

"I don't have time for all the shit that's packed into this place! I need to find Dean." Sam cut Elly off.

Jud gave Sam a sorrowful look. "Sometimes, Sam, dead is better."

Sam was about to tell Jud what he thought of that crap, but he didn't get a chance. Screams broke out in the woods across the road. Dean's screams.

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When Dean screamed the Creature screamed with him, copying Dean's voice to a T.

And that solved Dean's decisions for him. Fighting the lethargic after effects of the drug Dean pulled himself up and out from under the thing. He noted in the back of his head with horror that his leg touched It. But getting away was priority number one. It didn't move forward as Dean pulled away. Instead it straighten to it's full height, turned it's head up to the sky, and continued screaming in Dean's voice.

Stumbling to his feet, Dean twirled when a bout of dizziness hit. He forced his mind through it and scanned the ground around him for his bag of weapons. He froze in his quest when he realized the night was quite. The screaming had stopped. Sucking in a shaking breath Dean looked up at the Creature. It stood there, 14 feet of monstrous glory. Still face up at the sky. Backing up slowly Dean started moving away, eyes trained on the Creature, and in the direction Louis had pointed. Just as Dean was about to exit the clearing. The Creatures head snapped down It's eyes blacks balls of malice seething hate off of them right into Dean.

"Fuck. Me." Dean turned his back and ran. The Creature resumed it's screaming. Dean didn't look back, but the screaming told him it was right behind.

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Sam broke into a run off the porch and down the lawn, "DEAN!"

"Sam the road!" Eileen's voice reached him just before Sam stepped onto it. And in fantastic timing, the blaring of a truck horn rang out when Sam barely stopped in time to avoiding getting hit. He stopped there, his heart pounding in his throat. Dean's voice was getting closer. Sam shucked in a breath, when the shrubbery across the road moved and Dean burst out of them.

Dean and Sam locked eyes across the road. Each only seeing the other.

Dean moved first, 'Sam! It's behind me!" He said, to give his brother warning while coming out onto the road towards Sam. That was when Sam heard another horn blow, flowed by the shrieking of brakes.

Dean stopped when the headlights came on him. _'No way-'_ followed directly by an 18 wheeler.

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	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Stephen King and Warner brothers are the only geniuses here. I only hope that my misadventures using their characters and themes do not offend them. I am merely a poor student, who will remain poor.

The truck at the end of last chapter comes from the Stephen King's book, not the season finale, but "huzzzza" for coincidences!

Sam sat on the rim of the tub in Eileen's bathroom. It was almost noon. Both Eileen and Rachel had knocked on the door trying to bring him food; a change of cloths, or Band-Aids.

Sam wouldn't open the door though. He sat there, replaying the events of the past several hours over and over again. Flashing images and events filled his mind:

Dean on the road walking towards him. Then Dean on the road 55 feet ahead of him. Dean's blood on the road. Dean not moving. The truck driver standing outside the cab, his head in hands. Rachel running to the driver. And Eileen kneeling beside Dean.

All this before Sam got his feet moving. He didn't need to run over to Dean to know that he was dead. You didn't get hit head on but a truck going 100 and dragged 55 feet and get back up. In the back of Sam head thought '_If I don't go over there and see him, then he can't be dead.' _

Sam tuned into reality when he heard the truck engine come on, and it started moving off. Sam blinked back the tears. "HEY!" But he was shushed by Rachel's hand on his chest. She spoke to him in a soothing voice.

"This will haunt him forever. But it doesn't have to haunt you." Her eyes suddenly didn't seem cloudy anymore. Maybe it was his own blurring vision. He nodded as the thoughts connecting in his mind. _'No, Dean doesn't have to be dead. Rachel's not dead, Gage wasn't dead, even the cat. I can fix this._'

So Sam sat on the tub, staring down at his hands. They where cut up pretty bad. Caked with dirt and blood. His blood, and Dean's blood. The earth of the Micmac burial ground was hard and stony. Eileen had a pick and shovel but the work was back breaking. They said he had to do it himself. Dig the hole himself, bury Dean himself. Then build a cairn on top. And that's what Sam did. He placed the last stone meticulously on the top as the sun rose.

He didn't even remember the walk back. It was all a blur. I painful blur of picking Dean off the road. Trying not to break down when Dean's head rolled unnatural around. He hoped it would stay a blur.

A knock came again, and when Sam didn't answer again, there was the sound of clinking metal and the knob turned. Sam didn't bother looking up as Eileen entered the bathroom and sat beside him on the tub.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Eileen starting talking. "The neighbors think a deer was hit this morning. The truck driver will say the same. Anything to avoid the truth.

So no one will ever know. You need to get cleaned up Sam. You'll see, everything will be okay."

Sam laughed at the absurdity of saying that everything would be okay. "Dean died! He died and I buried him! I buried him!"

"You did the right thing, Sam. You've see my mother, she's fine, just as she was before she died. We got Dean up there as fast as my Dad had brought her. Dean will be back, he'll come to you." She patted him on the shoulder and went back out, closing the door behind her.

Sam felt the tug of unconsciousness; of long overdue rest, so he slid down to the floor. As he drifted off he soothed his soul be repeating in his head: _'Dean will be back.' _

No one came to him in his dreams, it was past any point of warning.

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Sam woke to the sound of footsteps in the hall. His neck cracked as he straightened. A glance out the window showed darkness, his cell told him it was 10:04 pm. He briefly considered calling his Dad. _'Bet this would be the first time he would pick up too.' _The thought of having to admit to his failure was unbearable, his father wouldn't understand_. 'Dad, Dean died. But it's okay. I'm expecting his return any time now.'_

The footsteps returned crossing the door in the opposite direction. Sam listened to the footfalls, heard it pivot, then walk by the door again. Dean was pacing outside the bathroom. He swallowed as his stomach flip-flopped. He simple realized that it was Dean. He could _feel_ him, it was like another sense had been added.

Sam pushed himself off the ground, ignoring the ach from his stiff and sore body. It didn't matter. All that matter was Dean was on the other side of the door. _'Church came back slow. But he was still Church. If Dean can't open doors anymore, that's fine. I'll open them from now on.' _Placing his hand on the knob, Sam paused. The pacing stopped too. Sam closed his eyes for a moment of silent prayer. A prayer that it would be Dean. A whole Dean. His brother. His. But then he'd accept Dean no matter how he came back. So it really didn't matter.

Sam pulled open the door in one hard and fast motion.

The hall was empty.

Save for the fresh tracks of muddy footprints everywhere. '_Dean was here.'_

"Dean?" Sam called out as he started walking to the stairs. He went down onto the main level. A glace to the left revealed the front door, open wide. Sam could just barely make out the blackness of the path opening from across the lawn. It was vibrating again. As it had the first time in his vision. But this time it was real. The sound of shuffling and a whimper brought Sam's mind back to the house. Sam turned around, and came right into the face of an old man. He looked to be in his 50's, he was muddy and bloody but his hair was stark white between the streaks of blood, and his eyes flared with insanity. _'Louis?' _The man gave him a toothy smile. It reminded him of a clown in a child's nightmare. Then Louis looked passed him. The Dean sense tingled, and Sam turned around back to the door.

Dean stood in the doorway, blocking the view of the path. He was a caked on mess of dirt and dried blood. Both his hands where behind his back. Sam looked into his eyes, and hazy hazel ones looked back at him.

"Dean?" Sam chocked out.

"In the reanimated flesh." Dean ground out.

"Dean!" Sam ran forward, intent on hugging Dean and refusing to ever let go. That's why he was totally caught off guard when Dean's arm came out and pushed him to the side so that he crashed into the wall. Sam was so caught up in his sudden rejection that he didn't realize Louis had followed right after him when he had moved to embrace Dean. He didn't see the impact between Louis and Dean as his own face met the wall. Sam watched through tear strained eyes as Dean pushed Louis off of himself with the same hand he had brushed off Sam with. He watched in detached horror as Dean's other hand came out in front holding the axe. It was bloody.

Louis hunched over as Dean brandished the axe. "You ungrateful bastard! We saved you! You should know better!" Louis shouted indignantly. Dean threw his head back and laughed.

"You should have known better." Dean said as he ran into Louis axe first. Sam stood in shock as the sound of flesh tearing filled the air, followed by an enraged cry of pain from Louis. Dean straightened as Louis hit the ground. "You should have thought ahead. Your not needed anymore." The whimpers rose up again. And Dean turned his head sharply towards the source: the kitchen. Sam's knees gave out and he slid to the floor for the second time that day; Dean's head had turned towards the kitchen, the kitchen was behind him. The turn was unnatural, 60 degrees. A memory flashed of picking Dean up off the ground and his head rolling, the neck bones broken. _'Oh god.'_

"Yes?" Dean asked Sam, moving away from the corpse formally known as Louis. "Didn't mean to wake you from your beauty sleep Sammy. You've slept through most of the fun. I'm going to finish off a couple things here, you should go get cleaned up." He said just before passing out of sight behind the stairs to the kitchen, Dean paused and looked into Sam. "It's a tie." He said smoothly then Sam heard the kitchen door open and a fresh round of whimpers followed.

Sam picked himself up onto his shaky legs and bolted for the kitchen. He raced in to find a scene right out of a horror flick. The once white farm kitchen was painted a sicken blood hue. Appliances where on the floor, the table was broken in two. Bloody hand prints where everywhere, accompanied by slides of blood. Like people trying to crawl away then being dragged back. His eyes first fell on Rachel, well, a part of her. His eyes followed the parts like a game of connect the dots- to Dean, whose back was turned from him.

"Geezes Sam, can't you fellow orders once?"

"Dean?" Sam spoke in a shaky voice. "Dean?" Sam heard Dean sigh, and turn around. Eileen was bunched up in Dean's arms, her face a mask of fear.

"Yes, Sam, it's me. They just forgot to tell you a couple important things when they had you haul my dead ass up to the burial grounds. Like the truth. Isn't that right sweetheart?" Dean asked looking down at Eileen, giving her an almost playful smack on the forehead.

"Gage came back a mean little guy, didn't he Elly?" When she didn't respond Dean smacked her forehead a little harder, she then nodded. "You told Sam that Jud went nuts on them. How about some truth?" Eileen hiccupped. She kept her glaze down.

"Gage killed Jud, and…and Mom."

"Don't forget the eating her part. That's a crucial detail."

"He didn't mean it! He wouldn't do that! He wasn't buried at the Micmac grounds soon enough. Mom was fine. You killed her you bastard!

"Fine? You helped It get us up here, you made sure it happened. I'm just making us Even-Stephen." Dean gave the thoughtful pause. "Or maybe I am a bastard. This could all be because Wendigo Sr. touched me before I became road kill."

Sam pushed down his fear. He hated the feeling of fearing his brother. "Dean, let her go. Please."

"Let her go? Are you bugshit? Who do you think sent us the e-mail Sam? Huh?" Dean asked pointing at Eileen, who continued to hiccup.

Sam shook his head, _'No...no it was Dad._'

"It wasn't Dad. The place had us all figured out. You were right on one thing Sam, it is alive. But you where completely off on the rest. Things have been slow around these parts. People don't believe anymore. So it needed to find some believers. It's had its way with the Creeds for 2 decades. It needed fresh meat. We apparently have quite the reputation amongst the things that go bump in the night."

Sam looked down at Eileen. And said in a soft, beaten voice. "You sent us the e-mail. Sent us to Steve, brought us here. For fertilizer?"

"She even caused your vision! Using her own psych abilities and It's power. You're going to have to learn that little trick Sammy."

"Let her go Dean. And let's get out of here. We'll call Dad-" The crack of Eileen's neck being twisted stopped him. The bile rose in his throat as he watched her body hit the ground. It all added up to more gore then Sam could handle. He bent over and spewed the remnants of yesterday sandwiches with the old ladies.

Sam whipped his month and looked at the body of Louis on the floor in the entryway. Then moved around with the pieces of Rachel. Before falling onto Eileen. '_One messed up family. Louis was insane, but human, he should have been locked up, not killed. Rachel was dead. Is dead, was dead.'_ Sam still didn't know how to classify her, how to classify Dean. _'What have I done?'_

Dean voice pulled him out into reality. He was kneeling beside Sam, rubbing his back.

"They had it coming Sam. Louis brought me near to the road. Then had the Wendigo chase me out onto it. Rachel and Eileen brought you over to Jud's, to make you sympathic, make sure you'd bring me to the Micmac burial ground. But also to make sure that I'd cross the road to get to you. 'It' saw to the truck coming along just in time. How were we supposed to fight 5 forces working against us?"

Sam couldn't bring himself to look up. So he spook to the floor. "What is It then?"

Dean chewed his lip for a moment; "Well…umm…Did you ever see The Lord of the Rings? I guess it's something like the ring? You know, but real. Think of the Wendigo as the evil guy, the one who made the ring. The Wendigo turned the Land. It gave the Land a will of it's own. The Ring gave the nasty little dude a long life, and drove him nuts. Well, the Land kind of does the same thing."

"You watched The Lord of the Rings?" Sam asked, forcing out a weak laugh. _'Are you saying your insane? Or that I am?'_

"Hey! The elf chick was hot!" Dean laughed.

It just made Sam feel more sick. _'It really is Dean. He came back to me. Just like Eileen said. Just like Jud said_.-pause-_ Jud! He'll have answers.' _Sam stood up, averting his eyes from the chaos. "Dean, stay here."

Dean stood up and blocked his way. "You think Jud will have some answers? You don't think you can talk to me!"

Sam blanched at Dean's harsh tone. _'He can read my thoughts?'_ He remembered Abbey's story about Timmy; how Timmy would look into your eyes and know your deepest darkest secrets.Dean's left eye twitched.

"Thanks for the comparison, man."

"You just killed people, Dean. I mean. Gah, I don't know."

"I didn't do anything Sam. You did. This-" Dean spread his arms indicating the whole situation. "-this is all yours."

Sam felt quilt wash over him. '_He came back to me. He's my responsibility. Whatever he does is my fault._' "What are you suggesting then?"

Dean smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "One fucked up family should be replaced by another. Call Dad. You've always wanted to settle down. Well. A mop, some body bags and this place will do just fine. Can't you feel the vibrations Sam? We're home."

'_Oh god.'_ The bile won again and Sam was back on the floor. He vaguely heard Dean say something about having to clean that up.

Dean watched Sam for a minute then left the kitchen, stepping over Louis body as he went out the front door. He fumbled for a few moments with the car keys as came around to the trunk. He started rummaging for a couple bags of cloths and other such personal items, but then with his head buried in the trunk he stopped. He was still for a moment before pulling himself up, and slamming the trunk lid down. "Get the fuck out of my car Jud!" The figure in the passenger seat made no movements.

Dean huffed and came around the passagener side. The window was rolled down, and Dean leaned in. "Your not a useful sort of fellow now are you Jud?" Jud kept quite. "Fat lot of good you did anyone. But that was all you where before too. Couldn't keep yourself from sharing with Louis, then when things got out of your hands you tried getting in the way. You failed. But trying to stop this again. tisk Jud. Harassing me at the school." Jud whispered something back, but even Dean could pick it out.

"Repeat." Dean said in a firm aggressive voice.

"Your unnatural, your evil."

Dean smiled. "So says a ghost. I think it's time for you to stop bush whacking around here and get going to hell. Sam and I are going to be just fine by ourselves. Sam's stronger then Louis, and has far more potential then Eileen. He won't leave here, not without me. And I'm not going anywhere."

Jud grabbed a fist full of Dean's blood streaked shirt. "Dean! If your still there, think of your brother. I know your lost, but don't let It live off your Sam. The way It drove Louis mad, used Eileen to see the world, and Rachel to hold them together. Don't let It do it to your family."

"Dead dude, it's already done." With that Dean pulled out a banishing pouch that Missouri had given them. He tossed it into the car. And Jud was gone, without even a scream.

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Sam wiped his mouth on his sleeve. '_Pull yourself together, Sam! You have to help Dean. You got him into this, now you have to get him out!'_

"_Sometimes dead is better."_ A voice with a thick Yankee accent called out in his head, by the last syllable the voice was nothing but a cracked whisper. _'Jud?' _Sam didn't get a response.

"Nah, it's just me." Dean said reentering the kitchen. Sam watched Dean fuss about the house. Filling buckets of water and soap. Picking up Rachel body parts and bagging them. He went about the task in a manner that reminded Sam of Jess spring cleaning their apartment. He asked Sam to help a couple times, but didn't press the issue when Sam didn't respond. _'He's spring cleaning a massacre._' When the bodies where bagged and in the garage Dean started mopping the kitchen, whistling 'The cat came back' as he did so.

"Dude? You there?" Sam fell back when he refocused to find Dean standing right in front of him. He could stop himself from backing away once on his feet. "I asked what you thought?"

"Thought of what?"Samasked, not really wanting to know

"Of throwing the bags into the woods? The Wendigo would probably like it." Sam stared at him. _'He asked that as casually as if they were bags of rotten vegetables…and not people.' _Sam watched Dean head out into the garage. "And Sam?"

"Yeah?"

"Maybe you could invite those old ladies over for a card game this week. I liked to hear some of those ghost stories you got from them myself." Dean turned and gave a wolfish grin reveling a bit of pink flesh stuck between his teeth.

Sam ran into the bathroom and stared into the mirror. '_I made Dean a monster, and now I've got to live with it…god, I'm a hypocrite. Dad would-I don't know what Dad would do. Could he kill Dean? Would he kill Dean to save him from being a monster? I can't call Dad, because he might actually do it. And I couldn't stand it. It's my fault, not Deans.' _

Then the Sam in the mirror look at him with accusing eyes;_ "Dean wouldn't want to be a monster." _Mirror Sam said to Sam.Sam looked away and out the bathroom window, he could see Dean walking across the lawn towards the path with a large body shaped bag over his shoulder.

"Sometimes dead is better."

9


End file.
